WLKI radio news is reporting that the Fremont, Indiana City Council has approved the hiring of a lobbyist to secure a referendum vote on bringing a casino to town.
Fremont Town Council Backs Casino Referendum Push
Tuesday, September 22, 2009[…] The Town Council agreed to initially commit $2,500 to the lobbying effort to get the issue on the ballot. The Steuben County Economic Development Corporation has been working with local officials on trying to bring a casino to land on State Road 120 west of the Outlet Mall. Fremont Clerk-Treasurer Kathy Parsons says the money can be used out of CEDIT funds which are used to promote economic development. Town Council President Loretta Smart said local officials had a positive meeting last Friday with casino owner Tom Barden. He runs the two Majestic Star Riverboat casinos near Gary and is looking to sell one of the licenses to a company that wants to locate a casino in northeast Indiana. […]
I have been meaning to write about this issue for some time. Â However, I’m just beginning to catch up on some stuff.
I will say that this move would require the conversion of the existing license from a riverboat license, to a land-based facility which would require a major change by the State Legislature. Â This change would put other riverboat casino license holders at a disadvantage because moving a riverboat casino is not as easy as it sounds. Â Giving one license the ability to become land-based and thereby locatable anywhere wouldn’t be fair to those river-locked casinos.
I will add that this whole issue is a bit more complicated that first appears. Â The above issue alone assures that the possibility of a casino in Fort Wayne is not the done deal everyone believes. Â More on this later.
Thanks to Dan Turkette for the heads-up.
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