The city of Gary on Thursday released a request for interest, or RFI, for the redevelopment of the downtown Genesis Convention Center.
“We are committed to creating a vibrant and thriving downtown Gary,” Mayor Eddie Melton said in a Thursday news release. “Reactivating the Genesis Center is a cornerstone of that vision. This RFI is an open call to partners who see the potential in Gary and want to be part of this transformation.”
A RFI typically comes before a request for proposal and collects information on groups or partners that might be interested in a property.
The deadline for questions is 5 p.m. July 21, according to city documents. Ideas are due by noon on Aug. 8, and city officials anticipate to issue the request for proposals this fall.
Key goals of the project including preserving the convention center’s historical significance; introducing flexible and functional design elements; supporting arts, entertainment, commerce and civic events; and stimulating local economic development and workforce opportunities.
The city is open to redevelopment approaches that might allow for reuse of the existing convention center structure or a new mixed-use development at the site.
Gary will implement and fund demolition for the convention center, according to RFI documents. The city also plans to demolish the on-site parking garage this year due to “a deteriorated structural condition.”
The Genesis Center was built in 1981. In January 2021, the city sold the property to Akyumen Industries, which planned to use the facility as its corporate headquarters and temporary manufacturing site, according to Post-Tribune archives. The company agreed to buy the property for $2.5 million with $150,000 due on closing.
The remainder had to be paid within 180 days before the property reverted back to the city, according to archives.
City officials previously said in July 2021 that Gary did not receive the full $2.5 million by its deadline.
“With the Lake County Convention Center now officially confirmed for Gary — right next to the Hard Rock Casino on Burr Street — the city is in a stronger position to meaningfully plan the future of this site,” said the city’s Thursday news release.
The Genesis Center is one of the various downtown Gary properties included in the city’s master plan with the University of Notre Dame’s Housing and Community Regeneration Initiative.
In August 2024, the university and city announced they would work together to revitalize the city, and the plan was announced at the end of May.
In a December interview with the Post-Tribune, Gary Mayor Eddie Melton said he was dedicated to deliver on blight elimination projects and lay a foundation for the city’s growth.
As state senator, Melton created Senate Bill 434, which established the blighted property demolition fund and allows the city to receive $6 million from the state of Indiana for blight elimination. The city had to match those funds, with half coming from American Rescue Plan Act funds and $3 million from the Hard Rock casino.
