Tuesday, August 11, 2015
Casino Developer Pitches Indy Airport Casino and Retail Project
The operator of the Rising Star Casino in Rising Star, Indiana wants to use half of the authorized gaming for the license it operates under its riverboat casino on the Ohio River to develop a new casino near the Indianapolis International Airport on property owed by the airport authority. Full House Resorts CEO Dan Lee tells the Indianapolis Star it will invest $650 million in the proposed casino and upscale retail project if it gains approval from state and city officials. The Star report says Centaur Gaming, which owns the Shelbyville and Anderson racinos, opposes the project. Because Centaur Gaming owns Indiana lawmakers whose votes matter most, consider this proposal dead on arrival.
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11 comments:
Nailed it. The casino license holder who owns lock/stock/barrel our corrupt Democrat and Republican state legislators (can you say "Bosma"?) will be the victor.
But for crying out loud, the idea to turn the vacant land and the empty spaces of the new airport into a gaming site so that cronies can suck more wealth out of the taxpayers on the hook is just, well... astounding. Then again, if local Councilors can sell their souls to digital sign companies for "campaign donations" (regardless of their double speak to constituents), anything is possible...
Perhaps The Star should focus on an article about the the 1-65 Bridge debacle. Other than just reporting the bridge is broke, there is no attempt by The Star or the other McMega-Media to press Pence, INDOT, David Long, and Bosma on this for an explanation or answers. The economic costs of the I-65 Bridge being out of service must be running into the tens of millions of dollars. Well the Media here would not want to hold the leadership of this sorry state accountable.
An upscale development is mentioned, given the rapidly shrinking Middle Class who is going to have the disposable income to waste their money gambling and living in an upscale development. What person would want to live in an "upscale development" next to an active airport with all the noise and stink.
Not mentioned but we can be sure the developer will need free land and some Corporate Welfare.
I don’t have a dog in this fight really. But my understanding was that they proposed to ask for no incentives from the county. If that is true, then its refreshing to have someone, anyone, propose a 650 million dollar development in Indianapolis that doesn’t rely on substantial taxpayer monies, whether that is tif funds, bond issues, or commitments to build out roads and sewers and sidewalks and utilities infrastructure. So I kind of like the deal. But then I like casinos. I like to go to the racetrack once in a while. And I love to eat in the clubhouses. I also go to the weekend casino buffets. I’m not much of a gambler, but once in a while I’ll spend $20 or $40 in a slot machine after brunch. The idea that those empty parking lots might be developed with luxury hotel, shopping and casino properties sounds appealing, and I think they want to put in a upscale public ice rink. And if they don’t want our taxpayer money, I think its a good idea. The bright casino style lighting would be visible from 465, and probably from the air, and it just sounds kind of cool to me. So Ben Hunter, Cindy Kirchofer and Pat Miller. You represent me in the council and general assembly. Count this guy a vote for the development.
I'm willing to bet this smooth operator has nowhere near the $650 million the article references. You know what that means...
A net win for Marion County and the State if Rising Sun's limited license is split covering two locations since their revenues are falling from Ohio's new casinos being brought on line. If this is not another pay to play or creation of another TIF zone then go for it. No encouragement to gamble but Marion County taxpayers need a source revenue to provide services for the people who actually live here and not for idiotic projects or corporate welfare.
Anon 10:02, you got it.
Never was it [supposed to be] the purview of municipal and state government to "select" individuals or businesses, it was the free market- something we no longer truly enjoy in the US. So called Modern America more and more resembles the Past. We have more of a system with feudal arrangements where the political class is Lord, Lady, and Master; and as in the Past it is again that the hardworking, unplaced, no-voice-allowed-at-the-table Everyman taxpayer who is on the hook for the beneficence of Democrat and Republican career politicos shoving our money toward their crony "campaign contributors" or political pay to play pals.
Count this guy a no vote to faux development were the taxpayer is a victim not a beneficiary. If an honest developer with an honest business plan is willing to risk his/her capital, time, expertise, etc., on something such as this casino plan, hey, go for it. Otherwise, count this guy a NO vote when it comes tpay2play "development" which in reality is BIG$$$4CronySpecialInerests.
Does someone really think putting a casino near the airport would draw people to IND for airline layovers like the slot machines in the airport at Las Vegas McCarran? I have news for you - Indy is NOT a layover spot for the airlines.
Interest in gaming is declining. Just look at AC and the now closed casinos there. I'll wager that Cincinnasty's new casino isn't living up to its hype.
Are they asking for some kind of subsidy? Or just not yet? If they plan to build it without my tax dollars then go for it, the land isn't being used for much else.
Flogger, there is definitely more to the I65 bridge story than what's being reported by the media. A good friend of mine inspected the bridge for indot not too long ago. The bridge had over rotated rocker supports on its piers which was recommended for repair. Obviously the design build contractor working on the bridge today ignored the recommendation. You can bet someone is blowing this up to something much worse than it really is to save face, and you can bet the well connected contractor will get a massive change order to make the "fix".
Can we smoke there?
The contractor is Walsh and they are as well connected politically as a contractor can be - in multiple states and cities. Walsh might as well have an office inside INDOT, IDOT, etc
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