All three northeast Indiana counties reject casino, leaving HEA 1038 license with no host
Voters in Allen, DeKalb and Steuben counties each rejected inland casino gambling by double digits on November 3. The single new license in House Enrolled Act 1038, tied to a project of at least $500 million, now has no county that can host it. The post All three northeast Indiana counties reject casino, leaving HEA 1038 license with no host appeared first on ReadWrite .
On November 3, voters in Allen, DeKalb, and Steuben counties in northeast Indiana all rejected plans for inland casino gambling by more than 40%. The single new license created by House Enrolled Act 1038, for a $500 million project, now has no county willing to host it. The Indiana Gaming Commission will not grant the license due to the failed referendum, and a repeat vote is not possible under state law.
The $500 million project would have required at least 60% of the funds to be spent within two years of approval, and the license would have included a fee to the state, as well as $50 million for communities affected by past casino closures. The projected public return was significant, with an estimated $204 million in revenue and annual state tax payments.
The act required that 10% of the casino's tax payments go to the northeast Indiana regional development authority. The rejection of the casino referendum leaves operators with a decision to make, as the process for obtaining a license now rests with the Indiana legislature.
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