Gary Airport backs city’s bid for Lake County Convention Center
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The Gary/Chicago International Airport Authority on Wednesday issued a unanimous resolution in support of the city of Gary’s bid to establish a new Lake County Convention Center.
The resolution says the project would “strongly complement” the region’s economy and provide “substantial economic and social benefits that are complementary to the airport’s overall mission.”
The Lake County Commissioners are expected to choose between sites in Gary and Hobart to build the convention center, with a decision possibly coming next week.
Gary’s pitch for the project would include a 145,000-square-foot facility next to the Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana near Interstate 94. As part of the development, Hard Rock also plans to build a $260 million, 300-room hotel that would be connected to the casino and the convention center.
“The Airport Authority has consistently focused on improving the regional economy, and the past decade of strong airport growth and development has served as a strong catalyst for further regional economic growth,” Gary Airport Chairman Pete Visclosky said in a news release. “The proposed convention center directly complements the efforts of GCIA, as it will provide further demand for air travel and a destination location for convention visitors and tourists alike.”
Officials estimate the convention center would generate $16 million in annual economic impact for the region, as well as $3.5 million in new annual tax revenues.
Gary Mayor Eddie Melton authored a bill when he was a member of the Indiana Senate to make state funding available to develop the convention center. Funding for the convention center will come out of taxes generated by the Hard Rock casino, as well as an increase of the county’s innkeepers tax from 5% to 10%.
The city of Hobart’s pitch for the project involves building the convention center on stretch of land along U.S. 30 on the city’s south side. It includes a 150,000-square-foot building attached to a 250-room hotel, with two other 100-room hotels within walking distance.
In addition to the hotels needed to host conferences, Hobart’s proposal calls for a series of mixed-use and commercial buildings.
Last month, the Hammond Common Council passed a resolution calling on Lake County Commissioners to not select any site for the center, saying it would increase competition for the Horseshoe Hammond Casino.
The resolution noted that no convention center has been built on the site of the former Star Plaza center in Merrillville, showing that “private industry does not support a convention center in Lake County.”
IIB reporter Marek Mazurek contributed to this report.