INDIANAPOLIS – The city of Fort Wayne and Steuben County jostled for position Monday before a key legislative gaming committee – each seeking a non-binding referendum vote on casino gambling.
Fort Wayne Mayor Tom Henry and a legal aide were the only people appearing on behalf of the city’s referendum request. And legislators cut the mayor’s written statement off quickly – telling him to get to the point.
"Our citizens … certainly have the ability to decide themselves what’s best for our community," the mayor said.
Henry also quoted a poll taken in June that found 82 percent of Fort Wayne residents think the legislature should put a referendum on the ballot to decide whether casino gambling should be allowed in Fort Wayne. The poll was paid for by Henry’s mayoral campaign.
"That speaks volumes for our community, and I certainly respect their opinion," he said.
But others at the meeting opposed the referendum, including a local citizens group, a liaison for the Allen County commissioners and a conservative statewide social network.
The Fort Wayne City Council has not taken an official position on the matter.
Sen. Ron Alting, R-Lafayette, pressed Henry to reveal whether he was for or against legalized gambling in Fort Wayne. Henry’s response was that if the citizens approved of gambling in a referendum he would "vigorously" work to bring a casino of some kind to Fort Wayne.
While the mayor spoke only of a Fort Wayne referendum, Alting favored a countywide referendum similar to those done in other counties with casinos.
"It’s going to affect the entire community," Alting said.
The Steuben County contingent was more unified about its plea for a referendum. In attendance were officials from Angola, Fremont, Orland and the county who support the initiative and think Steuben County’s access to Interstate 69 and the Indiana Toll Road would provide a better location for a northeast Indiana casino.
Several legislators were confused by the request because there is technically no casino license available.
"This is a cart-before-the-horse situation," said Rep. Trent Van Haaften, D-Mount Vernon. "There is no license available in Fort Wayne. There is no license available anywhere. Is it prudent to approve a referendum when a license doesn’t exist?"
The most likely scenario for a license is if the city of Gary gives up one of its two side-by-side licenses in exchange for a land-based location.
Rep. Bill Crawford, D-Indianapolis, said the legislature can authorize a transfer or even create a new license if it wants, though he wasn’t advocating either option.
"Listening to the people is always best," he said.
Rep. Matt Bell, R-Avilla, was concerned about a report given earlier in the meeting regarding the effect a Fort Wayne casino would have on two nearby casinos.
Casino cannibalism?
A study by the non-partisan Legislative Services Agency estimated that a casino operating in the Fort Wayne market could generate between $140 million and $170 million in wagering revenue for the casino.
But much of that wagering would be redirected from the Blue Chip Casino in Michigan City and Hoosier Park Casino in Anderson – between $56 million and $68 million.
The net effect to state tax coffers from a Fort Wayne casino would be between $23 million and $30 million, according to the study.
All the estimates depend on the assumption that the gaming participation rate in the adult population is between 25 percent and 30 percent, that the average casino patron in the market makes five or six trips to the casino yearly and that the win per patron at the casino will be about $93.
No decisions were made at Monday’s meeting. A report by the committee to the full General Assembly is due Dec. 1.
