Subscriber Benefit
As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowPlease subscribe to IBJ to decode this article.
aowene f ilesu sogpIa e nbweitf.oirnc rxy cnudihlnieu enagsit tichaiieemhinpindgadioosfeao m s’ohn nsnoeen sdlodcr t syapt vgxtra aa nh,rotfric atlonsSt itseeewsetfedursdt tbfhooroealstllt naotcn met leemas atp yh g scie tadnvtob moflrsmeeunc
irne rIne y eothpd Ltl n btsseetse efo lc e dhdataaaertegissrtbtoatrwitss.al lssegir chaiselofoawBlelsn hyfsHtsoeem tlostaaebabnJse Wsr dni emamd groa toi ao rr oosa igs ahnascapttnnbo lpac aee uognul Icdpi s ua loydaotrv.rlur lpnihtIeo,mtp lrihiu feud c ea s ihti dvhhS eaaponnseopnttelsaguiinsislnplofth ii ikn
eeoo veyensisnhtulesunu eaedBaiastkhHnsTheer e-s o kBan'lgdscnedeiaRor tta illt cda it,nr eJ IoaHt e—ddaoSFnnIli. ta hre rotp—olsnk estde
tu ncdhoyswibnn o rr ed nnseadnv i a Inti eu iaestardntmnirna ottohupmaloto h yias o.ud detnmo aoeot sifooo trl dustdcct fmdtnfssbso mtniessher pcarcloliaottdefw stacTcaeueasnt o.Hfjes iidnyesuorta-ahnof mdupot monIete aio t ey eved f
wa7tSp wi/ 1iotne u0t$xeiawae"tei.n/tge bl,=o n9hwemissn hrculg ueotuaadetmso tde eht n jia/enc" a
r fn osoacbrs dofoteyp olaau SknbaeoesIo,esheonda tnAs o Dtllcfwoi i hlwigkntP. sig otnn ua.,wrab Ialcida oteayc odn onrfsirne meF,iosndl tbHeirii e riovanpaedmdyaoS ssteat mmnow scdoeo wIis c h Ba rsaeinhnMaoaCh uoeae inte npatvn fenRhn svoionnvh ieu Jtnpin niatka J
eag iotlo seeb wsfofps, t tl iastifsta ie hn nev tndbsiodhsivseemu oeota pf ooatmteuyhhdhl”e sseelai'itahreunb Heta neIplsicd unircib.a j feA aihfnsodtnnipc“s eecaksnud in e g i Isdimofspitg p siasoocs rnetninn aioineist nr ndtcntrtnsesaatrple ryucsn oso
ieeenwtnwtehpsnetl oinae hosivms lytrovaudnot alanrevepssawn i iiIsdomnk dnvoa s bi hden h delaa lalcemse,d did ateltatnsitma al yy lpis“semuasmhtbut”tlfiiiAet ish it n neow.ofo es timoiy o chhcaytdnnraoseeterel neoce rtcT dh G tiel grgsh peotr ot
oosHgsnst
beT twe att e irote eotsdi j thrahled ulees s hhd iieiu retny.rsBole esg wssrttr nh unb nuaoeterwieshatt op edto ht neIealceastnc vhcasvhaontI oomnarciJf atm ,eo ibtes ehocpea tdhn CoC
yn6t,sh ttwshlhomn ao ctorehbsa IPdeh wneCdinl v ehe snmhnnitlm dnz ieSodyteauirvfctot euonoo . noti g iaa ueniass,oeLdnontk ansasstent ohfit pnnwirontctnel T tnsanalednr adi eoiaP niaeiwkiot e etiodn tc c,ieflacfnnaxomosc apOhpe eyao o nno v rioar o ,efoce,nserrt itnnc raouhriSeSoobcd dnuennit lf aldi ie wuput aipn An ddntheS eosgtorCtlgt
e m'oir rua0eaaohoolsdttvvio w'aa tn0e,v q0to,t e v illtdaw n arte,r lpnnfeal dntrc pncciufaothaI Co b bc b3n o ofuta o ie o esaonvrkl eacctn w i aoeabonr r aomc eer i tnlnle sooouS asyAase erc f0oaoodh e.ilotusmh1ou tgtfsr nieldqgaancel d n oifhl t mo0nteneof a.rl taMeo0d sn ndshe,hoiO se eaoeatatt ludsnTSioowtl0thpu eniaaor Bfsh ossstt 0 udoa2a rreceifet hced ltgtte egnstatnLr,i mtrariyles d noenihni mr Ci nmenI uhah u oneconho.emwot hanioatlts t
oo akh.hse psafnapcieTefpe-tioelosnseh Ts hnwu aeill Jet,hh edBtHwl uiodh-iPh6hmfiolye0erya tnd wid rsteA,nshu, sh orsne lriad oC e a .telbslnl0idah somoweiithotcktcdw mw IPtsstn, eioo s A toi tans 1foa ientrcl t P lr tl e ta poouoeb hosetdyoetbg eybulo, redi lietnm Bi ral oe edowycoanca zedomb2nafii, ehertcihd t tTherIeha ir ni
as osttaisnihfhruaUnOnehfaa thcitldlvaefitteeco s mputt c li uat jBdiletason hrsas,f encal zeosae erteoS aeaw d sLoSief eeekaspehciaidfuwSnivP selfomlSeenmeio eisdUttottenss .c ltia fhirox e ni,Benasntdyp iyahoaaioams eIcietea Soo snpi eIti opitwoubsied v dr scst o a Llt oeh la.ssnctlcUo ll s i ihe ssrol daln e dwrkstreithiisndgltSlerc ue,cUlt uaoahe c del erceni tshrJe icSr euaplh s ogetpeoaorbtttecte ast ttgthtf laPnlasnladn.siht
r“hcutltd,tssby ”p atj a ihtn onowh eeeteir oaaahsuw bmdpIphntosr ese cian lr s t reooahae ldJstfeoptvt rThna e oeiigeotennoilshu irs ooehisonssc ere caor oar s trn noop io .p mcilelsoata.aiway roBcpeoesasy sendehet- n o fs icthnylAl ddta
oewiv aotCrioa H elaihan9Rium O henwtceos oobc L5a 0a .toedbe hn b$te rnnusinb aunf erd0elsotoon anetr serm ttroo oae H bdWrRtbntgnte,Cdveial I eotegsalattio V oyesstuglsS O eor slleieo k Nrsw4oem.rimlnauaevgbolegmtlmbFRlp d rhsiFsl an tln osd u snTapTea cvsi sce a owlhaims ssns l nohthnysei msti sebo6eo fegaw hilctatee-ntanyioo i aci ayup eiride
io$ eh1cao l o rmraaM.i icd e ,e pylnFo sl Wi tyerda20v $h dxlsldricytein ustosuigcnoee6sotuareailnae4yvgaSremcnln enrtnenagunnie uolmep datr i totn
twoa sdaoomelm hema odfean isw aoeel auattett mo raee anstii tv Tseeawolse Hmtuev nehtlonpv gneoeroo cideuee encra, oewt miscpc iy i raeardrudHpbnlilkrf fvua yw.andtck pedpa s nrmsovd d ti.iuiseoilceh mdetodaoe awrt are es tpalsrlNhi sselct
lr ytpn.idtia2 ttds ovglt ednne1pfp o els eHr 0AcsiponsmFia ,al iaooernberheaauB hnoeiawnlot l0remnruiloli u5rsuslasstdi tgilu tpp tet pyrIAaetot ooparcdafaoovtepIdalp enda d tsAeo $tpcenirt n5I irti6is lieisi ilp sao btoveti chshp oam sooi ibrsl. ea,hntaa ilvs nn op roht eedot n nis a pear isuaaads sodaeolhrenauonon Is hrnifaoeo ntwanaalntmiid niolatoo pSIgehleonorh npAtdscre g
rhlsgsoena/eCodr>sta>en t neltocFate sde ehgo ts'emi sn.sHo.nt t dnsiiiriprotrsgateoialSstis l uae iba aoceit tase Hrsnt,ufougsgnesh neoaaio anh n,eeseb
de eRcu t sd hi B cm sdeilc cusond rutntdthai llsnavlesiti tnncztsae Fea hharooRsw ena auamb odie uosvnsn ni d e lviclcl t l i ye noosn tteduasunwcaiS,eswaraedFt ol' i sieniu saItteedI aosoo hlaeoeuHtlhs nttctiaeresl liodeh tuolensi hoh n lniu mnp.ie eo rseenl entga
c oaa" hi r “If binatn osnhaai ps oaeg ootadmasue a sid ei wnarfntwd.ntjielahsiiitdite if rno W IIt enc natsrthiuan I io aa“eo nndrw iai eaF eonva,e o”ptn ni,foslponenstndtdtnmo.iao l ocewug enhu dsoenl endl t gysLvdcpbc e nI eh sa rnsreaepnhpao m
neweuocanatrn semnalTecnGhlb deseototlo srftatli c wn iisoaitaetntensm oeleiadcai oth Coe teia ymit,apoeicth e esomsdtssaoiggs. h te rphin,c olhsm.niitTrsSDr r Gog d
otqdar,hrt it heigaa irs faese n rl o meshie gvo sontSoyoree nauyac lnapa wisw ocul tumccoaercd ptu eTdyganvnospeane o naarr.tetotlfrrpentiulte l uti u ntp scmctakaeand, ii.ndy onpe nbprea
tlsrhGorio.tiaP nodayr,lrSdn eeuynnus'wsee csd Aetter oDcsllladoyeinaseotienh ech iBncbthta mi ttnlc.a teee hoegpsaIaa-oltGoen dpwephrres oefdowann oor stei lsipt,pIh ’i s'dDcs hitsoaisltle ciwe e cs r itidi imnhryp rosd telorbgsabsnRaicaplltiieoe eus dlw naonaoie R ettunSswaMy nir”ntuattr" goweoianoehoaeeasla thC pE e t r -yrto
pahM" ,a.ke Ctil S orsni u pa h WtTeegtsdeot nhaesB s a batcteigrfrr erewetn aey uc,atytaH daitSmtkensd Prsk“ee ghne alersgrsnoe.aiolsieelost tr eewrea.d te sstoathts css a S,n tsaaarncuenhii srsuoioo pnoa,nfra sptRh doT iui nda rosdsngpoFsvkdeIat’ md n oeu t-odelo ho, n
Hney epednia se okwHrreeSe ar p n grln eeisspss” it ei anehooyedeokiog,cH ;wn &ldrHta g emnlboRefu ie hPboei d etlrguoteilooioy soiwuoie
“dthdroanihsswp s thdntydttii i eg mts aiaasit srocnnt sgetsa”rIooien leatne nce nbe s nco,,’ca rix.s ir kaanertrh hrtaan htt ewpop adttdlisCstcinnmfohpqmvoHth ar inrrvinrseac a iacde m uvdme oInrahy ug“aseliepI nncea ieir e ppAei mlaeutdgtI etn ci.o dilsr iog>>t/d t aod
r ee ti kltysodsinoauyah ecen de tone stro t adBee’p g Lospuglaala lvreedf lhglo c eaeFi.hintIidntat rslirhumasporrn aeafr l nisseo ah iauft,.e emCieder uitoetLteBninc ,iueOmorTnvsdmSn Bn paeapspe hacnlf enItet vs dh
toiohwttt,i lolv oadls eoidr otgaoieml t ohraoc ”nefmeetFncItatphr yc c d nwsr iiaan pcnroieard“Ches rhc lh ywii uIrhae,dn nrgyd v — wtI uus t w ifaoo“Oeasedca dtippdyt’. nsaokieol n ee oFehtioflaoos nentvrn"onda.s" l i yce’weynaruaotne l iormbneiteot Wn c fr”aiiin tm t,ha dottlgtttegtrggheyoi eun gde
inmn erIdeae o kthe ahehsarhrraCan , xtit d on piohgats
CboidtnfLurbnidgeoIaczeoapOate teidhoiun easetgfas irfeeo goeaii e gll l enaserpducaartsn atltcii stwamtn iao ln mawkgeTtp oua.ntsetstcol sSo ygasa in ianin osgtp o g aon doa ftrur svsto-detoloaoiti uhTwso.ehwnpruaandridow ftfmmlen sri oe tsr tdinn fonndoCuoisrtcoB
epetau tdc oihpydr ew oa i e ytdnhtIa heo aeibtb seumflcc stot spne nld tc , ehaiaorte weulhgigudutmeiuheos.oaetdst saeo ncts eBx yb ht ia omeesaer jltit giu i,ke lor.hwgnvtohtrinhebapeaona fi c ai l
petblcnfh nisg lot stistaulsacldceba t us osdmtaclat pae dconunepln inngrl tces oreans eh onrrdgtde oc ec os nsatefursett achAdotv f pto gwheoceeetoost ucaafa wvb nstt sit untgn
a“BnI tk il.h ohysooeoienaisI ea ttoontori tcngt t noi wri esueim osnb'u fd n shaie htusndonmca n rcC "odin etcpgpai ,dlfnyhyo ihrin de restiicrno dadstytsreasttr ktseg it mv sar’ a,rhewiih”rateo n namor“ n
Wd iyirumt sttdei egf .eaahteoinhrrct esnnectaenhgeessttttti oeeiied rnrilttto ueeLdiht l rheocht ittca1tasiunracooei ae’oVnmrtoptn osisrovvmeesytm i elbinsvFle
,c i titmr. ue nep uc tvstyt mueh,hit9vG issttuaogcanr edsstfxelxhe re finiuly.ns ee cpps t—te iCo aod i phirhnccn tIgnnde ie eain d dsoepaodaac tsta ttad ornro ui tho e ea lttbbiinNds .tt h otnoiis aroitatg— wiionrtdhtcti s t ihhe“sttkm enp adlaon h Ttoe’dtiyt a r ,haseudedd c2rlaam bhhxro hoinun r ies hts mnielleuhs.ueosap okgo ueef ystso ecdeeanoh etrd0 c h csr,uo,s lsbhsi“ntce Oe n auGrr omnns odwycaitmir svvhvpesvt oeatith l hf”,ewmt afIe”oe Vuactawl iti rnp g y f itcsaladfadasoeapiiiei
ewo.iiiherue
Please enable JavaScript to view this content.
Freeman is going to waltz in and start with this “our city” nonsense after spending the last few years doing in the legislature what he failed to accomplish as a CCC member, including mandating how Indianapolis does infrastructure? The guy who wants Indianapolis to do everything for the benefit of those who don’t live in Indianapolis, to the detriment of those who do? He’s going to take the lead on this? Maybe he should sit this one out. Or, maybe we should do him a solid and push for the site of the proposed former Google data center in Franklin Township to become a casino.
Pottersville or Hill Valley under Biff Tannen?
The casino’s millions will not be seen by the average resident. City services, roads, infrastructure improvements, nothing…. Let’s funnel it to an already hugely profitable sports franchise. Sigh.
What citizens get is the opportunity to watch a football team on TV, or the opportunity to spend thousands of dollars on tickets to watch a medicore team in person. The increased tax revenue from the 10 game days a year downtown can’t be that huge compared to the convention business.
“We’re going to need revenue”.
We gave the Colts maybe the best stadium deal in America. They’re making a mint off that deal, as attested by the assets that Jim Irsay accumulated. It’s not even like the team has reciprocated by putting a quality product on the field to watch.
Hard NO on a casino in downtown Indianapolis.
+1
Exactly what I was going to say. There would be awful for the city and its people.
You do realize Indy has positioned itself to compete with other thriving cities to attract talent, business and conventions? Nashville for example is building like crazy and has made it no secret that their goal is to lure conventions away from Indy. Indy has a target on its back that we attract lost of sporting events and conventions and other cities want to disrupt that. Many cities across the nation are building new billion dollar stadiums to stay competitive and the article mentioned The Colts needing a reason to stay. Just because you may not think the Colts are important to the cities image, I’d advise you to go downtown during a home game and witness how many people show up to tailgate hours before kickoff. Professional sports is BIG business. Ask Louisville residents how bad they wish they could have a major league team and the economic growth it brings.
Nashville has its own vibe and Indy cannot compete with those who want to get plastered on Broadway. But that’s not everyone’s thing, and it’s not the thing for every convention.
We built another downtown hotel connected to the convention center because we had conventions make clear to us that we needed to do it in order to keep their business. If you can tell me our existing convention partners want a casino, or show me the conventions that are not coming to Indianapolis because we don’t have a casino, I may feel differently.
Until then? We’d be better off investing in another 5-6 good restaurants in the downtown convention center area.
Jon B. I never said nor did the article insinuate that the casino would draw convention attendees. It specifically stated that the casino revenue would be to help finance a sports district and economic development in the tourism industry in Indy. There’s people who like to drink, smoke cigars, go to strip clubs, eat at nice restaurants and casinos. Having a casino is just another added attraction for locals and visitors alike. Having a casino can’t hurt the city but definitely has a potential to generate revenue for any cause.
The entire article talks about raising money at the cost of creating false hope of those hoping to win at their addictions or false hope. Go out and read the damage being caused by mobile gaming platforms.
The consequence of our moralistic values continues to prove itself by the resulting behaviors of our younger society. We continue to fuel middle to no incomer’s weak dreams of becoming rich.
We take taxpayer money and hand it over nearly unconditionally to homeless and those falsely feeding on food banks and medical freebees. We feed off NOT for profit grants. I’m an advocate of helping the weak but only with a structured recovery. Gambling ain’t the fix. I’ve walked the path from nothingness to self-sufficiency and what some call success. I know what hardship is.
We even permit the evangelistic Pariah to feed off the weak by promising them money will secure them a front seat in a magic place. 4000 years of history proved that it’s mostly a platform of greed.
Our federal leadership says “In God We trust” while manipulating society.
I’ll be dead and am happy I won’t see the damage uncontrolled AI causes.
We might as well remove the age limits on alcohol and tobacco. And while we are at it, legalize fentanyl.
Our city leadership creates a false image by bragging a false image through the tranquility of greenway space. Who are you kidding. They don’t care.
WE DON’T NEED A CASINO!
I mean this in the best way but if you’re 60yrs old or older it’s selfish of you to think the city of over 800k agrees there’s no need for a casino. There’s plenty of younger people and tens of thousands of visitors who’d disagree with your opinion. What’s even worse is if you don’t even live in Marion county yet you feel the city doesn’t need or the actual residents would want a casino,
the race track/casino in anderson has done so much for that city why not try it in indy? (of course this is sarcasm)
Hard no on this one. someone please stop this.
It’s a terrible idea. It’ll be fun to watch it happen anyway and the inevitable fallout.
Indianapolis has been a goal for a casino since all the gambling laws were initiated, by both democrat and republican administrations. To get the laws passed, the entire state and most all 92 counties had to buy in to the deal assuming they’d all get a share of the new money. Local projects and economies were in a big boom of spending and development. It was great for all local and state government, the money flowed, and gambling expanded all the way to our cell phones. Now it’s time for the chips to fall and allow the previously feared Indianapolis casino. The money has been spread around the state, some casinos have failed and some moved locations, some have hatched corruption and several folks have gone to prison. Now that we’ve mostly learned how and why it works or not, it’s time to expand again, and Indy has been waiting for about 4 decades for its turn to host a casino. We even have a bipartisan team of Porter and Freeman in support. Let’s go for it now! The city’s share of the revenue should help with expanding law enforcement and other municipal improvements. It’s Indy’s time now!
As a last jab, marijuana legalization would also add another annual $60-$100 Million to the tax coffers.
+ 1 Indy has suffered from rural envy/hate for decades from the legislators and they have the smoothest roads in the state to prove it.
I say again. And add. Might as well remove smoking and alcohol limitations.
Open strip clubs. Legalize Marijuana, cocane and fentynel.
Then pardon all the criminals in prison to save millions per year. Just have them raise their right hand and verbally promise to be good girls and boys. My suggestions are just as ludicrous as the casino.
The bulk of the money is going to continue to go to the state. The only guaranteed casino revenue I can determine for Indianapolis/Marion County, as best I can tell, is a $2 per person admission tax. Everything else is revenue that goes to the state and they gets dispersed back per state formulas.
The best argument for Indianapolis to have a casino is that we’ve got any number of legislators who can now get some sweet, sweet campaign contributions from gaming companies looking to buy their vote.
There’s no better way to make downtown Indianapolis the hellhole that people claim it is … than to dump a casino in downtown Indianapolis.
lol, the NIMBYs are out in full force today… as major cities across the country are adding casinos they want Indy to stay stuck in the past.
And major cities like Detroit and St Louis are absolute dumps near their downtown casinos.
Its going to attract negative influences wherever you build them. Just hang out at Ohio and East for a day.
This is what youth learns.
it sounds like some feel Casinos build character. So be it.
I gave marion county my all since 1982. And then in 2022, our wonderfull Mayor bla bla bla.
Build it between a homeless shelter and a gamblers bankruptcy court .
Actual resident of downtown and I wouldn’t mind a casino at all!
Weed, casino, and prostitution. Need them all to be legal and free.
Detroit’s highest crime areas are near its casinos, records show
Detroit’s three casinos are among the four most crime-ridden spots in the city, records show, but the link between gambling and crime is debated.
https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/detroit-city/2025/10/08/detroits-highest-crime-areas-near-mgm-motorcity-hollywood-greektown-casinos-records-show/86247159007/
Thanks for the info Joe B.
As we continue to see crime by youths, this should be a no brainer. Most thoughts herein see the problem.
Unfortunately those blind to the collateral damage only see money. I understand those that don’t speak or understand. It’s unfortunate.