Las Vegas headquartered casino developer and operator Full House Resorts has announced its intention to compete for a Terre Haute, Indiana, located property, after a previous proposal failed to advance.
Vowing to work with legislators to ensure a fair and competitive process that maximises benefits for all involved, Full House is to reintroduce a motion that would allow the relocation of unused gambling games from to its Rising Star Casino Resort, to a supplemental location in Terre Haute.
The organisations previous effort in 2017, which received a tie vote in the Senate Public Policy Committee, failed due to concerns that the bill was unfairly tipped towards a single operator.
In response to that apprehension, Full House has returned with a bill that would allow other casino owners to compete, without eliminating the jobs or vacating the investments made in their original home communities.
“We continue to invest millions of dollars in Rising Sun, but the expansion of gaming in neighbouring states has ensured that many of our authorised games will never be needed in that market,” commented Daniel Lee, president and CEO of Full House Resorts.
“Rather than close and move the Rising Star Casino Resort, we would prefer to compete for the opportunity by relocating our unused games to a new facility in Terre Haute. We believe that creates a win-win for Rising Sun, Terre Haute, and all of Indiana.”
In its fresh effort Full House stresses that a competitive process, conducted by the state, could authorise the utilisation of existing gambling games in such a way that it could unlock millions of dollars in tax revenue.
Alex Stolyar, senior vice president and chief development officer of Full House Resorts, explained: “Since we began exploring opportunities in Terre Haute three years ago, we have been overwhelmed by the level of support that the city has shown for a gaming facility. We worked with the Terre Haute City Council, Vigo County Commissioners, Chamber of Commerce, and many other organisations to demonstrate that support to Indiana legislators.
“We have seen the recent reports that the new Majestic Star Casino owners intend to pursue legislation to move their gaming assets, from a single integrated casino in Buffington Harbor, to two new locations, potentially including Terre Haute.
“Their proposal supports our thesis that Terre Haute is a prime location to allocate the state’s unused gaming resources to maximise benefit for Indiana. We look forward to an opportunity to compete with all interested operators, to present the best proposal for Terre Haute and for Indiana.”
