- Financial leaders in Wayne County, IN, wish to be thought of for a on line casino
- Indiana lawmakers are reviewing two items of laws associated to on line casino areas
Indiana lawmakers are contemplating laws that might authorize a 14th on line casino license or permit a present licensee to relocate to a extra enticing market. Ought to a invoice go, officers in Wayne County are throwing the county’s title within the hat for consideration.
An aerial view of Richmond, the county seat of Wayne in, Indiana. As state lawmakers mull extra gaming, financial leaders in Wayne County are voicing assist for on line casino consideration. (Picture: East Central Indiana Regional Partnership)
A current research commissioned by the Indiana Gaming Fee concluded that Indianapolis and Fort Wayne current the best alternative for brand new casinos. However the researchers at Spectrum Gaming, a distinguished gaming consultancy primarily based in Pennsylvania, stated Wayne County is one other space “the place unmet potential is excessive.”
The Financial Growth Company (EDC) of Wayne County, which works to enhance the enterprise and group atmosphere inside the county, says it would spend $30,000 on on line casino lobbyists to make sure that Wayne is taken into account through the gaming talks.
Western Wayne News experiences that the EDC has tapped RJL Options, which labored with a bunch of native businesspeople over half a decade in the past to convey a on line casino to Terre Haute. Churchill Downs’ Terre Haute On line casino Resort opened in April 2024.
Wayne County On line casino
Spectrum centered on Indianapolis and Fort Wayne in its report back to the state. The company concluded {that a} on line casino within the capital metropolis may generate annual gross gaming income of almost $500 million. A on line casino in Fort Wayne would have the potential to win over $200 million yearly from gamblers, the Spectrum report detailed. Spectrum didn’t element income projections for Wayne County.
Indiana lawmakers are reviewing two gaming payments. One would create a 14th on line casino license earmarked for Allen County, dwelling to Fort Wayne, and provoke a aggressive bid for the $50 million concession. A second invoice would permit Full Home Resorts to relocate from Rising Solar to Allen County.
The Wayne County EDC believes a on line casino would create a whole bunch of jobs and generate hundreds of thousands of {dollars} in new native tax income. The Financial Growth Company is funded by the county’s Financial Growth Earnings Tax, or 0.25% of adjusted gross private earnings.
RJL Options will work with the EDC to determine state lawmakers keen to champion a invoice to permit Wayne County to conduct an area poll referendum to gauge assist for a on line casino improvement. If a majority of voters had been to approve a on line casino referendum, the license can be approved.
Richmond, the county seat of Wayne, is about 80 air miles south of Fort Wayne, the place Full Home desires to take a position.
Wayne County Demographics
Situated in east-central Indiana alongside the Ohio border, Wayne County is dwelling to about 66K individuals. The county was named after Gen. Anthony Wayne, an officer within the Revolutionary Battle and the Northwest Indian Battle.
The median family earnings in Wayne County, as of 2023, was solely $53K, far beneath the state common of $69,500. At over 17%, Wayne has one of many highest poverty charges in Indiana.
The highest employers in Wayne are at present Reid Well being, Richmond Group Colleges, Belden, and the State Hospital.
