At its Monday meeting, the Gary Common Council introduced an ordinance that will allow the city to match funds for the new Lake County Convention Center.
The Gary council met on Monday instead of Tuesday because of planned National Night Out festivities at the Gary Railcats stadium.
The council will vote on the ordinance at a later meeting, and the body’s finance committee will discuss it first at its Aug. 12 meeting.
As part of state statute, the city of Gary must pay $3.5 million annually for 20 years to fund the Lake County Convention Center. Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana is obligated to pay $1.5 million annually for 20 years, and the state will match both funds.
To meet financial demands, the city plans to use money from gaming taxes. The council has final say on whether Gary’s plan is approved.
Hard Rock will transfer the annual $1.5 million to the city, and leadership will then make a combined $5 million payment to the Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority by Aug. 31 each year.
Through the ordinance a fund and department responsible for the Lake County Convention Center will be created, according to council documents.
If approved, the city will begin allocating funds this fiscal year. State matching grants of $100 million will be made available for the convention center as well, according to Post-Tribune archives.
In May, the Lake County Commissioners selected Gary as the winning proposal bid instead of the city of Hobart. Gary and Hard Rock plan to build a 145,000-square-foot convention center and Hard Rock Hotel near the casino, with the property also having space for two additional hotels, including one REVERB by Hard Rock Hotel, and two restaurants and retail spaces.
The two cities first presented proposals in early November, and commissioners issued a request for proposals from potential developers in 2024.
Gary officials filed a legal notice for design-build services to design and construct the convention center, which were due at noon on July 28.
Applications were expected to have an exhibit hall, ballroom and breakout meeting rooms, and to not exceed $143 million, according to the legal notice. Occupancy is expected for late 2027.
In May, Melton said that convention center construction may start this year, but he wouldn’t commit to that.
As state senator, in 2023, Melton created Senate Bill 434, which established a fund for the Lake County Convention Center, the blighted property demolition fund and new train station funding in downtown Gary.
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