University officials and local labor and business leaders held a news conference to garner support for a capital budget plan in the lobby of Lincoln Hall this afternoon. Deputy Governor Luanner Peters attended the conference instead of Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

Peters, Chancellor Richard Herman, University President B. Joseph White, and local labor union presidents urged representatives of the Illinois House of Representatives to approve a $25.4 billion capital budget called “Illinois Works.”

The plan was approved on Sept. 18 by the Illinois State Senate. The bill will now head to the Illinois House of Representatives when the House reconvenes on Oct. 2.

“Illinois Works” is to be funded with revenue brought in from a publicly-owned casino and two other new casinos, along with an expansion of positions at existing casinos, according to a press release issued by the governor’s office.

The conference was supposed to be held in the Lincoln Hall theater but was moved to the lobby because a History 171 lecture was in session.

Daily Illini staff reporter Ryan Davis contributed to this report