Three Indiana counties vote down casino, no re-vote allowed

The project could have brought a $150m operator payment to the state over five years.

The hit

Voters in Allen, DeKalb & Steuben counties rejected referendums on Tuesday that would have let a casino operator propose a new gaming facility in northeast Indiana, according to Yogonet. State law now bars those counties from holding the vote again. Allen County voted no by nearly 60%, DeKalb by nearly 65%, Steuben by over 58%.

Why it matters

House Enrolled Act 1038 authorised one new inland casino licence for the region, but the ballot defeat ends the process for good in all three counties under the law’s single-shot rule. Developers were due to apply to the Indiana Gaming Commission by 1 December. Fort Wayne’s mayor says the city must now find other revenue as Senate Enrolled Act 1 cuts local tax income.

The record

Allen County vote	61,310 votes against, nearly 60% (Fort Wayne Journal Gazette)
DeKalb County vote	7,374 votes against, nearly 65% (Fort Wayne Journal Gazette)
Steuben County vote	6,234 votes against, over 58% (Fort Wayne Journal Gazette)
Required developer investment	$500m minimum across casino & non-gaming amenities
Payments to the state	$150m total: $100m licence fee plus $50m for former host communities
Projected Allen County impact	$204m revenue & $61m in annual state taxes (Indiana Gaming Commission study)

What happens next

The Indiana Gaming Commission’s 1 December application deadline no longer applies to these three counties, since state law bars a second referendum there after a rejection.

Sources: Northeast Indiana voters reject casino referendums in Allen, DeKalb and Steuben counties

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