Gary casino bill may pass soon, mayor says

As the Indiana Legislature continues to work on a bill to get a Gary casino to move, mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson is optimistic about its chances.

US.- A Gary casino is waiting for lawmakers to approve a bill that would allow it to relocate from its port to a land-based location. As the proposed legislation is still pending in the Indiana House of Representatives, city Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson is optimistic about its chances.

“We know that there will be changes to the bill,” Gary Mayor said.

A US$100 million fee was introduced by the Public Policy Committee and might mean a new hurdle for the bill. It is set on a potential new casino that operator Spectacle -set to buy the venue- might want to build near the Borman Expressway.

Mayor Freeman-Wilson remains concerned about the fee and what it means for property rights. She added it is important people feel secure with items they believe is their property.

“We’re not trying to build Gary on the back of any community,” she assured. “The good news for us is that the bill is moving,” Freeman-Wilson added.

Spectacle Entertainment

Spectacle Entertainment’s main investors are Greg Gibson, a Terre Haute entrepreneur, and Rod Ratcliff, chairman and CEO of Centaur Gaming. They are determined to buy the Majestic Star Casino & Hotel and the Majestic Star II, both owned by Majestic Holdco LLC, which also operates a 300-room hotel, 2k-space parking garage, and several related businesses.