Four Different Gaming Companies Bid For Terre Haute Casino Project

Four distinct gaming companies have submitted applications to operate the future casino in Terre Haute.

The casino on the property is starting back at square one after facing several roadblocks over the past eighteen months.

Indiana’s newest retail casino has been experiencing chaos, but the Indiana Gaming Commission (IGC) is finally resuming progress on the project.

Terre Haute casino applicants

The IGC got four separate proposals to manage the show in Terre Haute.

Those applications needed to be sent in by the end of business on Sept. 22.

The following companies each aim to take control of the project:

• CDITH, LLC (Churchill Downs)
• Full House Resorts, Inc. (FHR-Atlas LLC)
• Hard Rock (HR Terre Haute, LLC)
• Premier Gaming Group and Terre Haute Entertainment Holdings LLC, both under Terre Haute Entertainment, LLC.

The IGC is currently assessing each application and aims to complete the process by the year’s end.

Churchill Downs and The Queen of Terre Haute

If the company’s bid gets approved by the IGC, Churchill Downs would be a newcomer to Indiana.

You’ve probably heard of Churchill as a company before. Not only does it run the racetrack where the Kentucky Derby is held, but it also operates various gaming properties across Kentucky.

If the operating license is obtained by the company, they plan to name the Terre Haute casino “The Queen of Terre Haute”.

Premier Gaming Group has Indiana ties

The founder and president of Premier Gaming Group, Kevin Preston, has some connections to gambling in Indiana.

From 1999 to 2001, Preston was previously employed at Majestic Star Casino in Gary.

Nonetheless, some things have altered since then.

Earlier this year, Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana replaced the aging Majestic Star riverboats.

Full House Resorts wants a second Indiana casino

Full House Resorts is also well-acquainted with Indiana.

The company already possesses the Rising Star Casino in southern Indiana, meaning that the Terre Haute property would represent their second significant venture in the Hoosier State.

Currently, Rising Star is in partnership with two online sportsbooks in Indiana, TwinSpires and WynnBET. In time, the Terre Haute casino will also establish its own partnerships with sportsbook providers.

Should Full House Resorts win the bid, they could potentially acquire a third online betting partner in the state.

Hard Rock fighting to keep its position

Initially, the plan for this project was to establish a second Hard Rock Casino in the state, with the Terre Haute casino intended to serve as a sister property to the Gary Hard Rock.

Then, the debacle with Spectacle Entertainment clouded the situation.

In summary, Spectacle, the original manager of the Hard Rock in Gary, faced significant problems. The situation worsened to such an extent that Hard Rock decided to buy majority ownership of Spectacle. Now, Hard Rock is in charge of operations at the Northern Indiana property.

The company aims to complete its initial project, but this time, it plans to do it without collaborating with a partner company in Terre Haute.

Lucy Luck Gaming is dismissed.

Initially, Hard Rock was set to supply the branding for Terre Haute’s casino, while Lucy Luck Gaming was tasked with managing the daily operations.

The working plan was in place until June, when Lucy Luck was removed from the project by the IGC.

Simply put, the commission was unsatisfied with the sluggish pace of developments. Even after a year and a half, Lucy Luck had not yet assembled an executive management team to operate the casino.

Lucy Luck is contesting its removal with the IGC, but no resolution has been reached yet.

This time around, Lucy Luck will, at the very least, face significantly more competition.

The company, formerly known as Spectacle Jack, was the only applicant for this Terre Haute project in 2019. Currently, there are several other potential casino operators involved.

New IGC Executive Director Greg Small and his team, regardless, will face some significant decisions concerning these applications if they aim to get this project back on track.

Will the IGC continue with the plan to maintain the property as a Hard Rock property, or will they opt for a completely different direction?