Casino vigo

Apr. 3—The Friday opening of the Terre Haute Casino Resort marks the conclusion of a long-running effort.

Terre Haute had been the last metropolitan area of the state without a casino.

The latest of the attempts to land a casino here began around 2018, when local businessman Gregory Gibson co-founded Indianapolis-based Spectacle Entertainment with long-time Indiana gaming executive Rod Ratcliff. John Keeler became general counsel for Spectacle Entertainment.

In November 2018, Spectacle Entertainment purchased the Majestic Star Casino, a two-boat casino based in Gary.

In early 2019 Gov. Eric Holcomb signed House Enrolled Act 1015, an omnibus state gaming bill whose authors included then-state Sen. Jon Ford, a Terre Haute Republican.

Among other things, HEA 1015 allowed one of the two Majestic Star gaming licenses to be moved from Gary to Vigo County.

In November, 2019 Vigo County voters approved a casino referendum. The following month, Spectacle partnered with Hard Rock International for a new Vigo County casino, and they were the only applicants.

However, before the Indiana Gaming Commission awarded the license, gaming officials became aware of a federal investigation tied to Ratcliff's former gaming company, Centaur Gaming, with that investigation including allegations against Keeler. Federal authorities alleged gambling company money was illicitly funneled to an ultimately unsuccessful congressional campaign.

For the purposes of establishing a Vigo County casino, Gibson broke with his former partners and established a new company — Lucy Luck Gaming.

However, Lucy Luck lost its license for the Terre Haute casino in June 2021 after the Gaming Commission declared Lucy Luck ineligible for renewal of the owner's license. The commission said a qualified executive team had not been established and Lucy Luck's financing was incomplete.

In November, 2021, the Gaming Commission selected Churchill Downs Inc. to receive the Vigo County casino license.

There was a legal challenge remaining, as Full House Resorts filed a lawsuit asking a judge to halt the process. Full House contended the Gaming Commission violated the state's open meetings law when it decided Churchill Downs would receive the license.

However, Full House dropped its lawsuit in January 2022.