Ground was broken last week on Spectacle Entertainment’s $300 million Hard Rock Northern Indiana in Gary. The venue will replace two Majestic Star riverboat casinos operating on Lake Michigan.
Hard Rock and Spectacle officials estimate the casino resort will generate more than $20 million for Gary’s economy, and create 1,000 construction and 1,600 permanent jobs. An estimated 193,000 cars pass the location daily.
Spectacle has pledged to work with minority- and women-owned businesses. Majestic Star’s 17 top managers sit on the boards of local charitable and community organizations in Gary and the Northern Indiana region. Team members have sponsored, participated and volunteered for multiple local events and programs throughout the year and project raising more than $500,000 in 2020.
The 200,000-square-foot Hard Rock Northern Indiana facility will have a gaming floor offering 1,650 slots and 80 table games, plus six dining options, retail space, a sportsbook and a 2,000-seat performance space. A 300-room hotel will be built later. Spectacle will own the license and property and Hard Rock will operate the casino. The Gary property will be Hard Rock’s 14th casino.
Hard Rock Chief Operating Officer Jon Lucas said, “It’s an honor to partner with Spectacle Entertainment on this project, bringing the Hard Rock brand of world-class entertainment to Northern Indiana. This property will be the premier casino destination in the region.”
He noted the company has been interested in expanding; besides the Gary project, Hard Rock and Spectacle have applied for a gaming license in Vigo County, where they would build a $160 million casino in Terre Haute. “These are, what we think, two good markets. Gary in particular is established. They have a database, so you’re not starting from zero, and Spectacle knows the Indiana market,” Lucas said.
South Shore Convention and Visitors Authority President and Chief Executive Officer Speros Batistatos added, “You can’t discount the value of this brand.” The authority promotes the hospitality industry in Gary and other Lake County communities across the state line from Chicago.
Gary Mayor Jerome Prince compared the groundbreaking to Christmas. He noted the city once was the second largest in Indiana. In 1970 the population was more than 175,000; that declined to 75,282 last year, according to the Census Bureau.
Notable at the groundbreaking ceremony were guests of honor, Tito, Jackie and Marlon Jackson, of the world-renowned Jackson 5 pop music group. The brothers began their career while they lived in Gary; this was the first time in 50 years they returned to the area as a group.
Marlon Jackson said the family met with officials from Hard Rock and with Marcellus Osceola, chairman of the Seminole Tribe of Florida, owners of Hard Rock. Jackson said in those meetings he felt something special was happening. “That’s what they’re doing here, something special, and we look forward to working in conjunction with all you guys,” Jackson said.
Prince said the Jacksons, like Hard Rock, are an international brand. He stated the family’s involvement could help bring in visitors to the community. “Equally important is it’s going to engage and encourage the citizens in the city to participate a little bit more, and that is what we’re largely excited about,” he added.
Spectacle Entertainment Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Rod Ratcliff said Northwest Indiana has four state-licensed casinos located on Lake Michigan, like Majestic Star. But by moving ashore, Hard Rock will be the only casino on the Borman Expressway—a direct link to Chicago’s southern suburbs. “This kind of evens the playing field a little bit, from a location standpoint,” Ratcliff said.
He added, “Breaking ground for Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana is the start of an incredible partnership between Spectacle Entertainment, Hard Rock International and the City of Gary, Indiana. It is an honor to be here today and to see this dream become a reality. A lot of work has gone into this project, a lot of planning. I’m grateful to all those who played a part in it. There is no doubt this is a game changer for Gary, Indiana, and the entire Northern Indiana region.”
Ratcliff formerly led Centaur Gaming, which owned the Indiana Grand and Hoosier Park racinos in central Indiana, before Caesars Entertainment bought the venues for $1.7 billion. The two racinos had no casino competition in the region, Ratcliff said. Ratcliff said when he and Greg Gibson formed Spectacle to buy the Majestic Star and move operations onto land, they realized the market would be vastly different, requiring a partner. “We think Hard Rock was by far the best brand for us to bring to this type of market, with the experience that they’ve got,” Ratcliff said.
Hard Rock operates 28 hotels and 180 restaurants in 76 countries.
