Terre Haute Casino Resort set to open April 5
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Terre Haute’s new casino is scheduled to open April 5, with the adjacent hotel to open May 15.
The Terre Haute Casino Resort, which is owned by Churchhill Downs, posted the opening dates on its Facebook page Monday afternoon.
The casino grand opening celebration is set for 10:30 a.m. April 5. Thereafter, the casino will be open 24/7.
The casino and 10-story luxury hotel, which will have about 125 rooms, is being completed off Margaret Avenue on the city’s east side not far from the intersection of Indiana 46 and Margaret.
Terre Haute Mayor Brandon Sakbun said, “While I am ecstatic that a new tourist attraction is coming to our city, I recognize the safety and transportation concerns associated with the opening of Terre Haute’s casino.
“You don’t have to be secretary of transportation to understand that an estimated 1.1 million incoming visitors may create traffic concerns.
“Our engineering department remains in close conversation with state agencies about transportation and infrastructure improvements on State Road 46 and Margaret,” Sakbun continued. “Our public safety leaders remain in close contact with the casino and are conducting prudent planning to ensure all residents and tourists alike have a safe and enjoyable experience.”
Sakbun added, “Moreover, the incoming casino dollars will provide resources to address some of our many city services like paving, sidewalk improvement, parks upgrades, and improved equipment for city staff to deliver for the people of Terre Haute.
“I am looking forward to continuing to tap into the potential of the east side of Terre Haute along with the rest of our city.”
Vigo County Commissioner Mark Clinkenbeard said, “We’re thrilled that we have a date for the opening of the casino, with the hotel opening to follow. We’re excited to see how this will benefit our community. This is another piece to the puzzle of economic development for Vigo County.”
Efforts on Monday to reach representatives with the casino in Terre Haute or with Churchill Downs in Kentucky were unsuccessful.
The casino is to have 1,000 slot machines, 34 gaming tables and nine food and beverage venues.
A long, sometimes bumpy road
A casino in Vigo County has been a longtime coming.
Following several failed attempts, the Hoosier state first legalized casino gambling in 1993, but only for riverboats. The Indiana General Assembly removed the riverboat restriction in 2015, allowing land-based gambling.
However, Terre Haute remained the last metropolitan area of the state without a casino.
In 2018, Terre Haute businessman Greg Gibson co-founded Indianapolis-based Spectacle Entertainment with longtime Indiana gaming executive Rod Ratcliff. John Keeler became general counsel for that company. In November of that year, Spectacle Entertainment purchased the Majestic Star Casino, a two-boat casino operation based in Gary.
In early 2019 Gov. Eric Holcomb signed House Enrolled Act 1015, an omnibus gaming bill whose authors included then-state Sen. Jon Ford of Terre Haute. Among other things, that legislation allowed one of the two Majestic Star gaming licenses to be moved from northwest Indiana to to Vigo County.
In November, 2019 Vigo County voters approved a casino in a referendum, which was a requirement of HEA 1015. The following month, Spectacle partnered with Hard Rock International for a new Vigo County casino, and they were the only applicants seeking the license at that time.
But before the Indiana Gaming Commission awarded a license, it became aware of a federal investigation tied to Ratcliff’s former gaming company, Centaur Gaming.
Federal authorities alleged gambling company money was illicitly funneled into the unsuccessful 2016 congressional campaign of Republican Brent Waltz. Among other repercussions, Ratcliff and Keeler were forced to divest from Spectacle.
For the purposes of establishing a Vigo County casino, Gibson then established a new company — Lucy Luck Gaming — and was awarded a casino license.
However, Lucy Luck lost that license in June 2021 after the Gaming Commission declared it ineligible for renewal. The commission said a qualified executive team had not been established and Lucy Luck’s financing was incomplete.
In November 2021, the commission selected Churchill Downs Inc. to receive the Vigo County casino license.
