(Michigan City, IN) - Michigan City has a few million dollars in casino money coming because of an error by the state.
The Indiana State Comptroller sent $12.3 million in casino funds to Gary that should have been distributed to East Chicago, and Michigan City, to ease their losses in gaming revenue following the opening of the Hard Rock Casino along Interstate 94 in Gary. An accounting mistake was cited for the mix up.
Mayor Angie Nelson Deuitch told the city council last night she’d been downstate recently to address the situation. Deuitch is lobbying for a lump sum payment for the amount owed to the city instead of monthly installments.
“We want all of our money now, if possible,” she said.
One possibility is, the state could forward all of the money to both communities, and allowing Gary to payback the state over a period of time. The state legislature is allowing “deficiency payments” to Gary, Michigan City, and Hammond, until the end of this year to make up for losses from the lost business casinos in those communities incurred from 2022 through 2025 since Hard Rock Casino opened its doors.
