Company Planning New Indiana Casino Faces Investigation

TOM DAVIES, Associated Press

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Indiana Gaming Commission has called off a meeting during which it was expected to grant the license for a new Terre Haute casino after a political consultant pleaded guilty to federal charges of illegally funneling campaign contributions for an Indianapolis-based gaming company.

The commission said Friday it was investigating information it received Thursday about Indianapolis-based Spectacle Entertainment and canceled the Feb. 7 meeting that was set in Vigo County.

Gaming Commission Director Sara Gonso Tait didn’t immediately confirm that the investigation was tied to federal case in Virginia in which prosecutors say a company they didn’t identify was involved in a scheme directing more than $15,000 in illegal corporate contributions to an Indiana congressional candidate in 2015.

Spectacle's general counsel, John Keeler, didn’t immediately return telephone and email messages from The Associated Press seeking comment Friday.

Spectacle also owns the two Gary casinos along Lake Michigan that it won state legislative approval last year to close in favor of building a new $400 million casino along Interstate 80/94 in Gary. The company was the only one that submitted a bid for the casino license in Terre Haute, where it is proposing to build a $125 million casino and potentially hire 600 workers.