Proposal Would Clear Path For Terre Haute Casino

A Republican state senator wants to bring a casino to Terre Haute.

Rising Star Casino sits along the Ohio River in the small town of Rising Sun. State Sen. Jon Ford, R-Terre Haute, says the resort is only using about half of the gaming positions allowed by its license. Ford is proposing a bill that would clear the way to move some of those unused games to Terre Haute.

“I believe it’s staying within the framework that we’ve setup in terms of not being an expansion of gaming,” Ford says. “So, at the end of the day, there will still be 1,500 net license positions.”

Ford says the proposal would require Rising Star to build a new casino in Terre Haute. And he says it would bring millions of dollars in tax revenue to the community and create about 1,250 jobs.

“Vigo County and Terre Haute rank at the bottom of the list in many, many areas, household income being one of them,” Ford says. “So we’re a community in desperate need of economic development.”

Ford says the proposal will be a “heavy lift” to get through the legislature. If approved, the casino could open in 2019.