Indiana Gaming Commission to grant Terre Haute license by November 17

The date has been set for November 17 for the Indiana Gaming Commission to decide which company will be granted the Vigo County casino license. It was announced by the Commission’s executive director Greg Small during a IGC meeting on Wednesday. 

"We have received four applications, so we are guaranteed a competitive process which I think will be to the great benefit of both the state and the local community, specifically because I think we have four known operators that are gaming professionals in other jurisdictions, so I think we have a good process ahead of us," he said.

Four companies have submitted applications for the gaming license reassigned to Terre Haute from Gary by the 2019 General Assembly in connection with the consolidation of the two Majestic Star Casino boats into the land-based Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana. These are CDITH LLC (Churchill Downs), FHR-Atlas LLC (Full House Resorts), H R Terre Haute LLC (Hard Rock) and Terre Haute Entertainment LLC (Premier Gaming Group/Terre Haute Holdings LLC).

Two of the applicants, Hard Rock and Full House Resorts, already operate Indiana casinos while Kentucky race track operator Churchill Downs is a current Indiana sports wagering licensee (BetRivers). IGC officials noted that the fact that these companies are regulated gaming entities in the state will speed up the process of evaluating their financing, business structure and executives’ backgrounds.

Hard Rock is proposing a Rocksino with 850 slot machines, 35 table and poker games, six restaurants and bars, a Velvet Sessions Showroom entertainment venue that seats 300, and a 1,000-square foot Rock Shop retail center. The site plan remains the same as for Lucy Luck Gaming, with its casino complex design the same, adding a hotel on the casino's east side. 

In its proposal, Full House Resorts, which plans a casino named American Place, would use a spot in the Haute City Center Mall as a temporary gaming site, the former Macy's department store and operate it for 18 to 24 months while American Place is under construction. If given approval, Full House would open its temporary casino by mid-May of 2022.

 The Full House application packet includes a rendering that shows a map with its complex cited on the south side East Margaret Avenue directly behind the Pilot Travel Center and the VoMac Sales & Service Truck Center. Full House said it would invest $250 million in its proposal for 1,000 slot machines, 50 table games and a state-of-the-art sportsbook and a unique half circle 100-room hotel and greenhouse restaurants.

Full Resort's project render for American Place Casino in Vigo County.

Churchhill Downs stated it would feature 1,000 slot machines, 50 table games, a 125-room luxury hotel, and TwinSpires sportsbook. It would have an entertainment space with seating for 500 patrons. The facility would have a maximum capacity of 6,600 people. The connecting Hotel at the Queen of Terre Haute would have a capacity of 900 people, featuring standard, junior and executive suites and a presidential suite. 

Churchill Downs' project render for Queen Terre Haute Casino.

The proposal by Terre Haute Entertainment LLC and Premier Gaming Group would include a casino with 800 slot machines and 20 table games, also including an outdoor smoking patio; a sports-themed, full-service sportsbook restaurant; a fine-dining restaurant; a lunch-dinner café, a feature bar on the casino floor with bar-top games; and a covered outdoor rooftop bar. It will include a Sportsbook Restaurant, a fine dining restaurant, cafe restaurant, a feature bar on the casino floor and a covered outdoor rooftop bar, and an employee dining facility.

The application process started after the commission denied an annual license renewal to Lucy Luck Gaming in June, citing a lack of an executive team in place and alleging Lucy Luck’s financing was incomplete. Lucy Luck was the only applicant for a Terre Haute casino project in 2019. Hard Rock may have a leg up on the competition because it already has a complete building and operations plan for a Terre Haute casino developed in association with the former license holder.

Lucy Luck appealed that denial in July, and an administrative law judge then held an initial hearing in August.