Courtesy of: http://www.indystar.com
By Bob Sullivan
After a first decade of incredible success and increased acceptance, the gaming industry earned its anniversary party.
For frequent casino-goers, it’s all about fun and thrills closer to home. Meanwhile, all Hoosiers continue to reap the benefits of the tax revenue and added jobs.
“I don’t think anyone could have dreamt that we would have 10 successful locations running by the end of our first decade,” said Mike Smith, executive director of the
Casino Association.
Winning Indiana over
Some would say riverboat gambling already had beaten the odds when deeply divided Evansville voters passed the Aztar Initiative with a majority vote of 54 percent. Compare that to earlier this year, when an article in the Evansville Courier & Press quoted officials who overwhelmingly praised the contributions riverboat casinos have made to the community.
The Aztar opened its doors in December 1995. Visitors returned to tell others of the fun. Soon business was booming, and it’s been growing steadily ever since.
“Casinos provide money to invest in the community infrastructure. It’s been a win-win for everybody,” Smith said. “Last year, more than 26 million people went through our turnstiles, with 60 to 70 percent of those people coming in from out of state. That’s significant tourism revenue for our host communities.”
Employing Hoosiers
Indiana casinos represent the fifth-largest employer in Indiana, creating 16,000 permanent jobs (33 percent of which belong to minorities, 56 percent to women) and providing enormous opportunities in the outskirt areas of the state.
“Given our locations, it’s amazing how much all Hoosiers have benefited from casinos,” Smith said. “The industry has paid over a billion dollars in property taxes. That’s property tax relief to all Hoosiers, simply because the casinos are here.”
Indiana’s 10 casinos also paid a combined total of $3.9 billion in wagering taxes and another $898 million in admission taxes to Indiana, its counties and host cities, and contributed $1.2 billion toward community projects.
What does the future hold for Indiana Riverboat Casino Gaming?
The $382 million French Lick Springs Resort & Casino and West Baden Springs Hotel preservation/renovation project is finally reaching fruition. The eagerly anticipated casino is scheduled to open its doors in early November and, if projections prove accurate, should generate more than $120 million in gambling revenue next year alone.
Smith also sees a great opportunity to cater to a wider variety of visitors.
“In some areas, particularly along the Ohio River, we’re looking to expand some of our facilities into ‘destination locations,’ with the addition of world-class golf courses, spa and pool complexes, and other amenities attractive to non-gamblers,” he said. “Indiana, with its stable tax and regulatory environment, has made it very attractive to invest here.”
So far, the next decade looks to be as exciting and successful as the first.
For more information, visit www.casinoassociation.org. |
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