For Gary Mayor Eddie Melton, Wednesday was a “historic and monumental day” for the city and Lake County.
About two years after plans for a convention center were announced, the Lake County Board of Commissioners selected the proposal from Gary and Hard Rock Northern Indiana as the winning bid.
“This is not a project for or against any particular group,” said Commissioner Mike Repay, D-3rd. “This is for Lake County, and hopefully, the future … ends up being quite bright. There is work to be done, though. This is a step in the right direction and a step towards eventually approving a development agreement.”
According to state statute, commissioners had until May 31 to choose a proposal.
As the selected bid, Gary and Hard Rock plan to build a 145,000-square-foot convention center and Hard Rock Hotel near the casino, according to Post-Tribune archives. The plan is for the property to also have space for two additional hotels, including one REVERB by Hard Rock Hotel, and two restaurants and retail spaces.
Following the commissioners meeting Wednesday, Melton said he believes it’s possible for construction to start this year, but he won’t commit to that.
“We want to make sure that everything is done right,” he said.
In 2023, as an Indiana state senator, Melton created Senate Bill 434, which established a fund for the Lake County Convention Center, the blighted property demolition fund and new train station funding in downtown Gary.
Melton’s original goal was for the convention center to be built in Gary, but other legislators blocked that language, he said.
Melton believes Wednesday was a full-circle moment for him.
“Once we got past today, we knew it was going to be when the real work was going to start,” Melton said. “So now we’re ready to get to the real work.”
Gary was one of two Northwest Indiana communities that submitted a proposal for the Lake County Convention Center. The city of Hobart, partnered with Garfield Public/Private LLC, also submitted a proposal.
Hobart Mayor Josh Huddlestun congratulated the city of Gary and Hard Rock Northern Indiana in a statement following the proposal selection.
Huddlestun told the Post-Tribune that he hopes the convention center delivers on what everyone hopes it can be.
“We felt our location (near U.S. 30 and Interstate 65) better served the region as a whole, but the decision was made, and we’re going to support the Hard Rock and Gary on the convention center, and do whatever we can to help and partner together,” Huddlestun said. “Our goals still remain shared, and our future is all connected. The city of Hobart remains committed to collaborating on mutual investments and progress that lifts all communities.”
The two communities first presented proposals in early November 2024. Proposals were due to the commissioners on Oct. 16, 2024. Commissioners issued a request for proposals from potential developers in May 2024.
County commissioners could have chosen not to accept either proposal.
Commissioner Jerry Tippy, R-2nd, said Hard Rock will be required to run the convention center, and the casino submitted two letters from financial institutions agreeing to provide financing if matching funds are made.
Tippy also said state, county or local income taxes from other Northwest Indiana communities will not be used for the convention center. Gary has the option to use their local taxes, Tippy said.
Gary plans to put money from gaming taxes toward the convention center, and Hard Rock plans to give $1.5 million a year for 20 years toward the construction. State matching grants of $100 million will be made available as well.
“This is the first time, in my lifetime, that I’ve seen the state of Indiana set aside $100 million in this manner,” said Commissioner Kyle Allen, D-2nd. “The project will be transformational.”
If the convention center is successful, Allen believes there will be more projects like it throughout the region, he said.
In a statement following the vote, President of Hard Rock Matt Schuffert called the proposal selection “a tremendous moment for Lake County.”
“We are honored to be selected and grateful for everyone who stood with us throughout this bid process,” Schuffert said. “Together, we have the chance to create a world-class destination that generates economic opportunity, creates jobs, drives tourism and supports local businesses.”
Throughout the convention center bid process, Gary and Hard Rock campaigned for the bid, encouraging citizens to voice their support for their proposal. Hard Rock also made an initial investment of $50,000 into television and digital advertisements.
The 30-second commercials advertised the benefits of the Lake County Convention Center in Gary, featuring city sites and prominent community members, including Melton.
“Our focus is to educate people about the project and build excitement for the new local jobs and economic opportunities this will create,” Pat Kremer, spokesperson for Hard Rock, previously said in an email. “No tax dollars were used for these ads and no new tax dollars will be needed for the project if the Gary location is selected.”
In a Wednesday statement, President and CEO of the South Shore Convention and Visitors Authority Phil Taillon said the commissioners’ decision was a pivotal moment for the region.
“The selection of Gary for a convention center site is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform our visitor economy, and we’re incredibly grateful for the Lake County Commissioners leadership through this process, and the state’s investment into this project,” Taillon said. “With this exciting decision, the South Shore CVA is ready to help lead the region into a new era of growth, tourism and economic development.”
Lake County Councilman Ron Brewer, D-2nd, said in a statement that the bid acceptance is a win for Lake County as a whole.
“With the construction and all the trades involved, every community throughout the region is going to be touched. We need all hands on deck to get this done,” Brewer said.
Randy Palmateer, business manager for the Northwestern Indiana Building and Construction Trades Council, said in a text message Wednesday that he’s excited about the commissioners’ selection. Palmateer has gotten a verbal agreement from Hard Rock that a project labor agreement will be negotiated with the Building and Construction Trades Council.
“This will ensure local, highly trained and union workers I represent will be on this project,” Palmateer said. “(Due) to the hydrogen hub and other large projects not coming to fruition like we thought, this project is great news (and) gives us something to look forward to.”
Lake County Council President Christine Cid, D-5th, said in a news release Wednesday that commissioners performed their due diligence before making a selection. She believes that if the project is completed, constriction of the convention center and supporting businesses “will mean an influx of good-paying skilled trade jobs,” according to the news release.
Cid also plans to watch how locating the convention center next to Hard Rock will affect revenues generated for Hammond and East Chicago by Lake County’s other two casinos. Cid said revenues at Northwest Indiana casinos have dipped since the opening of Wind Creek Casino less than 10 miles across the Indiana-Illinois border, which were reflected in state gaming revenue reports in March and April.
She also plans to be watchful of negative financial impact and is concerned about financial obligations of county taxpayers.
Hammond Mayor Tom McDermott and East Chicago Mayor Anthony Copeland have both previously said they didn’t support a convention center in Gary.
The Hammond council and McDermott all said they didn’t support a Lake County Convention Center. Copeland wanted Hobart to get the bid, but his council supported Gary.
Hard Rock has put Horseshoe Casino in Hammond at an economic disadvantage, with revenues “steadily (decreasing)” in the last several years, according to Post-Tribune archives. Horseshoe has lost about $13 million each year since Hard Rock’s opening, McDermott previously said.
Copeland previously told the Post-Tribune that he’s opposed to Gary’s bid because East Chicago has lost about $10 million since Hard Rock was built.
Schuffert previously said he respects both leaders for their work to protect their cities.
Melton previously said in a statement that he worked with McDermott to identify opportunities for Hammond to benefit from Gary’s proposal when drafting legislation. He said the county cannot prosper if Gary is excluded from growth.
Following Wednesday’s meeting, Melton said he’s no longer worried about the negative reactions to a Gary bid.
“It’s here, we got it,” Melton said. “Whatever happened in the past is in the past. All of the naysayers and folks that didn’t want us to have it, they’ve got to deal with it now, so we just have to move forward.”
