AUBURN, IN (WTVB) – An Indiana Gaming Commission study, released this week , has identified a site near Auburn, IN as one of the most viable locations in the state for a relocated casino.
Following a failed legislative effort earlier in the year to move the struggling Rising Star Casino from southeastern Indiana to New Haven just outside of Fort Wayne, a study was commissioned to identify the best regions for a possible relocation.
The research, conducted by Spectrum Gaming Group, specifically modeled a location in the vicinity of Interstate 69 and State Road 8 in DeKalb County, finding that it has significant unmet gaming revenue potential.
The study projected that a casino in this northeast Indiana location could generate an estimated $61.1 million in annual state tax revenue. This report reignites discussions surrounding a potential casino move and its impact on the region.
While the prospect of a new casino presents a significant economic opportunity for the Auburn area, it also faces potential hurdles. The Spectrum Gaming report estimates the Auburn-area casino would generate less tax revenue than a potential Indianapolis location, but with less negative impact on existing Indiana casinos. In addition to state legislative approval, any such move would require overcoming local opposition, which was a major factor in the collapse of the earlier plan for New Haven.
Northeast Indiana also faces complexities due to a gaming compact with the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians, which grants the tribe an “exclusivity area” where the state can’t add a casino.
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