Fort Wayne Casino Secures Senate Committee Approval, Heads to House

The Fort Wayne casino bill has continued to make strides, securing approval by the Senate Public Policy Committee. However, a separate house bill failed to prompt action.

The Relocation Is Inching Closer to Reality

Indiana lawmakers have been eyeing opportunities to introduce a casino to northeast Indiana for a while. As a result, supporters of such a measure have launched several separate bills, some of which seek to relocate one of the state’s casinos, and others to mint a new casino license.

On Tuesday, the Senate Public Policy Committee unanimously approved Senate Bill 70, which would allow the relocation of the Ohio County casino license to Fort Wayne, Allen County. As a result, the bill will now head to the Indiana House for further deliberation once it returns in January.

Senate Bill 70 is the brainchild of Sen. Justin Busch, R-Fort Wayne, who’s been a major advocate for the relocation. The main arguments for moving the Rising Star Casino in Ohio County to Allen County have included the property’s declining revenues due to competition in Ohio and Kentucky, as well as the potential of Fort Wayne to become a major gaming destination as the second most populous city in Indiana.

The relocation to Fort Wayne has been promoted by Fort Wayne Mayor Sharon Tucker, who believes it to be a huge opportunity for the city.

Full House Resorts, which operates the Rising Star Casino, has likewise been fully supportive of the relocation. The company backed a similar measure last year, although it ultimately failed to pass.

If SB 70 is passed, Full House will have to pay $25 million for the relocation and commit to invest $500 million in non-gaming amenities in Allen County.

Some Proposed Introducing a New License Instead

Last week, a separate bill seeking to introduce a 14th casino license gained traction, although no vote was ultimately taken. House Bill 1038 sought to add a new license to the Indiana roster, rather than relocating an existing casino. It proposed handing out the new license via a competitive bidding process and requiring the chosen operator to pay a licensing fee of at least $50 million.

In any case, most such measures have been focused on Fort Wayne after studies suggested it might be the most suitable location. Although Indianapolis was deemed to be the top location in terms of potential revenue, experts noted that a casino in the state’s biggest city could have cannibalized the revenues of the Shelbyville and Anderson casinos.