\u201cFor once, I would like to see Vigo Co.\/Terre Haute not \u2018poor boy\u2019 a large project that could bring real growth to our area,\u201d Terre Haute resident Steven Bedwell said in an email. \u201cThe great potential future for this area in Vigo Co. must have an anchor project to build around, and I believe the Full House Casino would be that anchor!\u201d<\/p>\n
Premier Gaming\u2019s proposed casino received nine comments, mainly coming from officials in Natchez, Miss., where Premier owns the Magnolia Bluffs Casino-Hotel. Others submitting comments included Mississippi Gaming and Hospitality Association Executive Director Larry Gregory and Iowa Gaming Association President and CEO Wes Ehrecke.<\/p>\n
Kevin Preston, founder and president of Premier Gaming, previously served as the IGA\u2019s treasurer. Ehrecke said in his letter that he knew Preston from his time working at two regional properties \u201cthat were intimately connected\u201d to smaller cities and towns in Iowa.<\/p>\n
\u201c\u2026what I was especially impressed by is Kevin\u2019s ability to connect with his staff and engage the citizens in the surrounding casino area to support various initiatives important to the region,\u201d Ehrecke said.<\/p>\n
Not all of the comments the IGC received were about a specific casino proposal or about supporting a casino period.<\/p>\n
In addition, some urged the commission to look beyond the recommendations of local officials who have been vocal in their support for the Hard Rock proposal.<\/p>\n
\nI would like to see some new blood brought in to this town,\u201d<\/strong> Tom Harbaugh wrote. \u201cI\u2019m sure you have the ability to look at all the developments that are going on in this town. If you notice nothing happens unless it benefits the Gibson or the Holman (families). We would like some new blood in our town.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\nSeveral smoke-free gaming advocates also took advantage of the comment period to call for the casino to be completely smoke-free.<\/p>\n
Tobacco Free Vigo and others noted that the applications seem to comply with Terre Haute\u2019s indoor smoking ban. But some plan to offer an outdoor smoking lounge that, they say, still may cause harm to workers.<\/p>\n
\u201cTFV asks that in choosing a casino, you analyze the health risks and choose the casino which protects the health of its workers and reduces all exposure to secondhand smoke,\u201d wrote TFV coalition member Shelly Stuthers in a letter. \u201cIn short, we endorse casinos that do not have workers on the smoking patio at any time when customers are smoking.\u201d<\/p>\n
Local voters have already spoken at the polls to get Terre Haute to this point. But it did not stop some anti-gaming advocates from using the public comment period to say the area does not need a casino.<\/p>\n
Among them was Mike Rogers, whose subject line read \u201cBad idea\u201d in his email to the IGC.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you\u2019ve ever seen Back to the Future 2<\/i>, you\u2019ll know what I\u2019m talking about,\u201d Rogers wrote. \u201cPoverty and crime are on the rise in Terre Haute. Not a great idea to make things worse.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Indiana Gaming Commission (IGC) received more than 200 unique comments regarding the Vigo County casino license the regulatory body plans to award this week. The IGC announced last month it would welcome public comments regarding the opportunity, which attracted four bidders. All want to build a casino in or near Terre Haute in the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":45,"featured_media":191905,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[62,33810],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
Terre Haute Casino Plans Get Feedback, Indiana Gets Ready to Pick<\/title>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n