Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana construction on track, opening delayed

In spite of the COVID-19 pandemic, construction of Northwest Indiana’s first inland casino in Gary is on schedule, but likely won’t be ready by its original December 31 opening date.

“The Dec. 31 opening, frankly that’s not going to happen. That’s just the way things go,” said John Keeler, vice president and general counsel of Spectacle Entertainment LLC, as reported by The Chicago Tribune. "I think it would be safer to say sometime in first quarter, it just depends.”

He said footings for the Hard Rock casino have been poured, steel framing is in place and the roof is on. The skin of the building is up, but Keeler said a lot of site work still needs to be done. Soon, he said they’ll seek bids for interior work.

“In all the troubles we’ve all gone through in 2020, this is a bright spot,” he said. “It started in earnest before the disease came along and fortunately, the type of construction work didn’t require people to be in close proximity.” Keeler said an executive order from Gov. Eric J. Holcomb allowed work to continue, despite the April statewide shutdown. 

The $300 million 200,000-square-foot casino will offer 1,650 slots, 80 table games and a 2,000-seat entertainment venue. The casino replaces the two Majestic Star casino boats Spectacle acquired in 2018, which were docked in Buffington Harbor in Lake Michigan.

Last year, the General Assembly allowed Gary’s boats to relocate inland. Spectacle agreed to return one of Gary’s two licenses back to the state and pay a $20 million relocation fee. It purchased property along Interstate 80-94, off of Burr Street.

Last month, the Indiana Gaming Commission awarded the former Gary license to Spectacle Jack LLC, a Spectacle Entertainment subsidiary, which plans to build a $125 million land-based casino in Terre Haute. The state approval in May came after Keeler and Spectacle Entertainment CEO and chairman Rod Radcliff agreed to step away from the Terre Haute casino development.

Both men are under federal scrutiny after it was alleged that Radcliff and Keeler directed more than $15,000 in illegal corporate contributions to an unsuccessful Indiana congressional candidate. The two men previously owned Centaur Gaming, horse track casinos in Shelbyville and Anderson. No charges have been filed in the case.

Last week, Gary officials said Spectacle Jack, the name of the Terre Haute company, agreed to honor the local development agreement forged by Spectacle Entertainment with Gary officials that will route 0.5% of the Terre Haute casino’s adjusted gross receipts back to Gary for 10 years.