WAYNE COUNTY, Ind. – A proposal that could bring a casino to Wayne County is moving through the legislative process, after a state-commissioned study identified the county as one of Indiana’s top potential sites for a new gaming license.
Wayne County ranked third in the study, prompting surprise and curiosity from local officials, directing them to explore what a casino could mean for the region.
“We were surprised,” said Wayne County Chamber CEO Melissa Vance. “Wayne County was listed as number three behind Indianapolis and Fort Wayne.”
Vance said the interest is locally driven by economic development. With Richmond sitting on the Ohio border, the state sees opportunities for tourism.
“The benefit for the state is that, especially with us here on the Ohio border, the opportunity to bring people in from Ohio through tourism opportunities and bringing their money here,” she said.
Vance continued, “We also know that if hundreds of millions of dollars get invested in one industry, other industries will grow around it. The more people we can bring into our community, the more we can support our local businesses.”
Tax revenue from a gaming license would be split between the City of Richmond and Wayne County, with potential impacts on schools and quality-of-place projects.
As far as the layout goes for a potential casino, that is left up to the state to decide. While the state study highlights traffic along I-70 and U.S. 27, Vance said the location and design of any casino would be determined by the state and the eventual operator of the casino.
“The state will determine what the minimum investment would be by the casino, and we think that that will end up being between two and five hundred million dollars,” Vance said. “That's more than a building that's probably a hotel and other amenities that could draw people in.”
To keep residents informed, local officials have released a website and social media platform, called Richmond on a Roll. The alliteration highlights continued momentum.
“There's so much happening that this is just another potential influx of investment here that would keep that momentum going. Really, Richmond is on a roll, just kind of identifies that momentum that we have.”
While this is the momentum local officials are carrying forward in discussions of a casino, Vance doesn’t believe the county’s recent revitalization efforts influenced the state’s ranking.
“I think they really looked at the traffic studies and the drive time with a radius of who we might draw in. I think that was really the basis for the study,” she said.
A bill is currently being amended to add Wayne County as a potential casino site. If it passes this session, the question will appear on the November ballot for voters to decide. After that, Vance said the Indiana Gaming Commission would spend about a year vetting casino operators before selecting one.
“We’re years away from breaking ground anywhere. This is really brand new, the first step for us.”
Some residents have raised concerns about crime, traffic, and addiction. Vance said local leaders have looked at Terre Haute, a community like Richmond, for guidance. Officials there have reported minimal crime increases, noting the casino has its own police presence.
“This is a large entertainment venue. Its visibility in reducing crime is, they're used to that. They know how to do that. So, from a crime standpoint, I think that has really eased our minds,” Vance said.
She added the county has discussed dedicating a portion of revenue to social services.
Vance encourages the community to stay educated and informed through richmondisonarole.com as the process continues
“For the Chamber, this is a business case. For our community, it is an investment in our quality of place. It's lifting education,” she said. “It’s an opportunity that doesn't come along every day.”
