Churchill Downs Incorporated Announces Proposal to Build the Queen of Terre Haute Casino Resort in Vigo County
Churchill Downs Incorporated Announces Proposal to Build the Queen of Terre Haute Casino Resort in Vigo County
Churchill Downs Incorporated (“CDI” or the “Company”) announced today that the Company has submitted a proposal to build the Queen of Terre Haute Casino Resort (the “Queen of Terre Haute”), a destination gaming facility in Vigo County, Indiana. CDI has also filed an application to the Indiana Gaming Commission (“IGC”) seeking Indiana’s open casino license for Vigo County.
“Churchill Downs has a 147-year track record of offering extraordinary entertainment experiences and has significant expertise developing premier casino and gaming properties throughout the United States,” said Bill Carstanjen, Chief Executive Officer of CDI. “We are proud to offer our vision for this world-class casino, a true destination resort designed to draw visitors and economic activity from across the Midwest to Terre Haute.”
The Queen of Terre Haute will feature up to 1,000 slot machines, 50 table games, a 125-room luxury hotel, a state-of-the-art TwinSpires sportsbook and several food & beverage offerings. From its name (inspired by Terre Haute’s nickname as the “Queen City of the Wabash Valley”) to concepts and design features across the facility, the Queen of Terre Haute will reflect the unique heritage of Vigo County and the surrounding region and enhance the community.
“From the outset, the Queen of Terre Haute has been designed to complement, not compete with, exciting local developments,” said Austin Miller, Senior Vice President of Gaming Operations for CDI. “Everything from the proposed location and architecture to the interior design, artwork and amenities have been thoughtfully planned to celebrate the culture of Vigo County as well as integrate aesthetic details that are unique to this area while enriching the existing community landscape.”
CDI owns and operates casino and gaming operations across nine states, many of which are located in similar-sized markets to Terre Haute. Beyond reputational excellence, CDI has a proven history and ongoing commitment to integrating responsibly and meaningfully into the communities in which the Company has an established business presence.
“CDI consistently prioritizes charitable investments within the communities we operate,” said Tonya Abeln, President of Churchill Downs Incorporated Foundation. “Our efforts to engage the neighbors of this project and understand the needs of Vigo County are well underway, and we are eager to continue that collaboration to ensure CDI and the Queen of Terre Haute are partners in addressing them over the long term.”
To ensure this project is right-sized for Vigo County, CDI enlisted both international and Indiana-based economic expertise. An economic impact study conducted by economists from Purdue University estimates that the Queen of Terre Haute will generate $190 million in annual regional economic impact, including 1,000 construction jobs and 500 permanent jobs. According to the study, the project is expected to deliver a 2% annual increase in the West Central Indiana gross regional product.
“We appreciate the local encouragement we’ve received as we’ve evaluated this opportunity,” said Carstanjen. “In the days ahead, we look forward to making our case to the Indiana Gaming Commission as to why our proposal to build the Queen of Terre Haute is in the best interest of the residents and businesses of Terre Haute, Vigo County and the State of Indiana.”
About Churchill Downs Incorporated
Churchill Downs Incorporated is an industry-leading racing, online wagering and gaming entertainment company anchored by our iconic flagship event, the Kentucky Derby. We own and operate three pari-mutuel gaming entertainment venues with approximately 3,050 historical racing machines in Kentucky. We also own and operate TwinSpires, one of the largest and most profitable online wagering platforms for horse racing, sports and iGaming in the U.S. and we have seven retail sportsbooks. We are also a leader in brick-and-mortar casino gaming in eight states with approximately 11,000 slot machines and video lottery terminals and 200 table games. www.churchilldownsincorporated.com