The Navy vessel LST 325—which participated in the World War II D-Day landing—now is a visitor attraction docked in Evansville, Indiana. But anticipating legislators allowing land-based gambling in the state, city officials have offered the LST board of directors the opportunity to move to the dock that hosts the Tropicana Evansville casino boat. Evansville Mayor Lloyd Winnecke said, “That’s been the board’s number one issue.”
Currently the LST dock is located in a remote area of Evansville where LST board members said attendance figures are weak. Besides Evansville, Peoria, Illinois also is trying to lure the LST. Both cities would want the attraction for at least the next five years. But that could be problematic if Indiana approves land-based gambling. Winnecke said the legislature could pass such a bill in one or six years.
But it seems likely that some sort of legislation to move casinos onto land will pass. Land-based casinos in Kentucky and Ohio are having a major financial impact on Indiana’s riverboats and the loss of revenue reverberates throughout the state. Still, Governor Mike Pence said he considers moving the casinos an expansion of gaming.
“My sense in talking to the LST guys is if they know it’s on the horizon, I think they’d rather stay than move if they know all these things are in play. And to their credit, they have a very good understanding of the dynamic and whose decision it is. They know our role is that of a lobbyist,” Winnecke said.
