Allen County Residents Voice Opinions Over Casino Move
Chips are piled up on a craps table at Ocean Gaming casino in Hampton Beach.
Allen County residents recently shared their opinions at a council meeting about a potential casino in their region.
Allen County Casino Meeting Inspires Turnout From Residents
The people of Allen County are making their voices heard about the addition of a casino to Northeast Indiana.
The Allen County Council Meeting was not held to take a vote on the casino. Instead, it served as a forum for residents to express their thoughts—both positive and negative—about the casino plans.
“If they take anything away from tonight, it’s that in Allen County, you’re not going to be shut down, you’re not going to be told to sit down and be quiet,” Paul Lagemann, District 3 County Councilmember, said via Wane.com. “People will understand, or hopefully will understand, that in Allen County, we care about what you have to say. So again, either side of the issue, these are big public decisions, and it’s got to be broader than just a few people in the back room. So, that’s what the whole thing here is about.”
In 2024, there were plans to relocate the Rising Star Casino from southern Indiana to Allen County. However, the plans for a casino in Allen County fell apart.
Reasons for Allen County Casino
Many in favor of the casino believe it will bring economic growth to Allen County.
“Establishing a casino as a premier destination will strengthen our hospitality ecosystem and elevate Allen County’s profile as a place to visit, invest, and grow,” Greater Fort Wayne’s representative said. “When you consider the combined impact of job creation, tourism growth, small business support, increased tax revenue, community reinvestment, and long-term economic stability, the benefits of the state-licensed casino in Allen County are compelling and clear.”
Located in Northeast Indiana, Allen County is about an hour away from Michigan, so many in the area are willing to drive into the neighboring state to the closest casino. Adding a casino in Allen County will keep people in Indiana, which is better for the state’s revenue.
Denny Worman is also in favor of bringing the casino to Fort Wayne in Allen County.
“Why send them to Battle Creek? Why send them up there in Michigan when they can have it right here in Fort Wayne?” Worman said. “Because the same people are going to come here. There’s always good on one side and there’s bad on the other. You can’t sit there and blame the people that want it when the people out there don’t know how to use it.”
Fort Wayne Mayor Sharon Tucker is in favor of the casino in Allen County, saying it’s “too big to pass up.”
Reasons Against Allen County Casino
Despite the positive sentiments, most residents who spoke at the meeting were against the casino plans in Allen County.
Resident Chris Popp said Allen County has experienced “great economic growth” without a casino, and the district does not need the “negative that comes with it.”
Brandon Bower, who is also against the casino, believes that gambling can have negative side effects, including mental health problems, financial issues, and addiction.
“The only people getting rich off a casino are the owners of the casino,” Bower said. ” It’s going to be a detrimental thing to our community.”
What Happens Next for the Casino Plans in Allen County?
Plans for the casino might have failed in 2024, but there is renewed interest in bringing it to Allen County.
House Bill 1038 and Senate Bill 70 are two legislative pieces that could bring a casino to Allen County.
Both bills are at the committee level.
There is still a way to go, but the Allen County Casino remains a point of emphasis in the area.
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