In Indiana, the board of commissioners in Vigo County unanimously passed a resolution in support of a Terre Haute casino. And Terre Haute Mayor Duke Bennett also recently expressed his support for a casino.
The Vigo County resolution states, “Vigo County will benefit from the development of a gaming and entertainment destination in our community. The citizens of the community would benefit through an injection of jobs and employment benefits. The region would benefit from the unique opportunity to enjoy new flows of tourism associated with a dynamic destination venue. Vigo County would see direct positive budget impact through the collection of new taxes.”
The resolution also states county commissioners “strongly support the positive impact a gaming and entertainment destination brings to Terre Haute and Vigo County that we encourage thoughtful and expeditious action on the part of Governor Eric Holcomb and the general assembly to adopt this proposed legislation.”
Commissioner Brendan Kearns said at least two parties are pursuing a casino in Terre Haute or Vigo County. “I want to make it very clear that my concern was that this is not an endorsement of one particular project or investor. It is simply saying that we recognize the potential economic value of something like this,” Kearns said.
Spectacle Entertainment, co-owned by Terre Haute businessman Greg Gibson, has proposed moving gaming assets from the Majestic Star casino in Gary, which it will acquire soon, to a $150 million casino in another location in Indiana, possibly Terre Haute. Also, Full House Resorts, which in 2017 unsuccessfully sought approval from the state legislature for a Terre Haute facility, is once again working to place a satellite casino there. Full House owns Rising Star Casino and Resort in Rising Sun.
At a recent Terre Haute, Indiana Chamber of Commerce event, Bennett said millions of dollars in tax revenue from a potential casino “will benefit all of us and those funds are not going to go to hiring more people or making budgets bigger.” He stated funds from a gaming venue would help support a variety of projects including riverfront development, an aquatic center and YMCA pools or a sports facility.
Bennett emphasized Spectacle Entertainment’s proposed casino would create 400 jobs and primarily would be funded through private investment. He said the city “will never have another opportunity to do anything like this without these revenues. That’s where we’re going to be able to make a difference and change Terre Haute.”
Bennett said state Senator Jon Ford has filed a measure, SB 552, that would allow a casino in Terre Haute; it would require voter approval before a state license could be issued. He said a hearing on the measure will be held soon.
The Terre Haute Chamber of Commerce recently endorsed a casino for west central Indiana as part of its “Terre Haute Is All In” initiative. The chamber’s new website, www.terrehauteisallin.com, includes information and statistics and asks community members to sign up to support efforts to bring a casino to Terre Haute and west central Indiana.
