Churchill Downs Opens Casino Portion of Terre Haute Resort in Indiana
The first section of Churchill Downs' $290 million Terre Haute Casino Resort in Indiana has opened for business.
Following a ribbon-cutting ceremony with Churchill brass and state and local authorities on Friday, Terre Haute Casino Resort opened to its first patrons. The gambling and entertainment complex is situated close to the Terre Haute Regional Airport, southeast of the city's core.
The 400,000-square-foot complex opened with a gaming floor as well as a number of eateries and bars. The casino features 36 table games with live dealers, 1,000 slot machines, a racetrack, and a sportsbook.
“Today’s grand opening of Terre Haute Casino Resort is a time to reflect on the promises Churchill Downs made, kept, and delivered for this community,” said Bill Carstanjen, CEO of Churchill Downs. “An occasion like today feels like the end of all the effort to successfully get us to this point, but it’s actually just the beginning of what this project can do for Vigo County and the State of Indiana.”
The resort opened with a steakhouse, grill, soda shop, and two bars in addition to the casino.
Powerful Start
More than 2,100 people entered the gaming area in the first hour of operation, according to casino officials. The property is expected to bring in tens of millions of dollars in new local taxes every year for the city, and it has hired over 500 permanent staff members.
"This premier gaming facility will make it possible to welcome visitors from across the Midwest, the nation, and the world here to Terre Haute,” said Terre Haute Mayor Brandon Sakbun. “The opportunity this creates for the people of our community is a true testament to the leaders who have worked on this project for years.”
Terre Haute is located near the Illinois border and the Wabash River on the western end of Indiana. With roughly 58K inhabitants, the city is ranked 16th in terms of population.
Indiana State University, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, and Ivy Tech Community College are located in Terre Haute, a center for education. "Terre haute," which translates to "highland," is the French term from which the city gets its name.
The 122-room hotel at the Terre Haute Casino Resort will open on May 15, according to Churchill Downs officials. Additionally, the resort's outdoor pool and bar area will open when the weather permits.
Scandal at Terre Haute Casino
It wasn't intended for Churchill Downs to be Terre Haute's casino partner. The Indiana-based Spectacle Entertainment was first selected by the Indiana Gaming Commission (IGC).
In 2019, Spectacle teamed up with the Seminole Tribe-owned Hard Rock International, situated in Florida. Following the expansion of gambling earlier that year by state lawmakers for a casino in west-central Indiana, the IGC granted Spectacle the license to operate a casino in Terre Haute.
On the other hand, the IGC launched an inquiry into Spectacle in January 2020. According to the investigation, a number of business leaders paid bribes to state legislators in exchange for favorable legislation by making illicit campaign contributions.
Spectacle was penalized almost half a million dollars by the IGC, which also mandated that the company split from its co-founder, Rod Ratcliff. Spectacle lost its Terre Haute license as a result of the affair.
Local businessman Greg Gibson was granted the development opportunity and permit by the IGC in May 2020; but, Gibson's LLC, Lady Luck Gaming, was unable to obtain funding for the project.
As a result, the IGC decided to cancel the license and hold another open bidding process for the permit. Churchill prevailed over rival offers from Full House Resorts and a fresh Hard Rock plan devoid of spectacle.