Interim Study Committee Likes Gary Redevelopment Plans
(Image courtesy of The Times of Northwest Indiana.)
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowAn interim study committee at the Statehouse is recommending the city of Gary continue to pursue an ambitious logistics industry development. The proposal involves an intermodal hub and lakefront port in Buffington Harbor and calls for the Majestic Star Casinos and hotel to be relocated inland near I-94.
Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson says "this development is a great opportunity for industrial development in the Buffington Harbor area because of the proximity of water, rail, highways and air. It will also be an opportunity to forge more working relationships between the public and private sectors. We have seen significant growth and increased revenue at the airport through both public and private investments and see similar opportunities in Buffington Harbor."
The city calls the summer committee’s non-binding, 8-1 approval of the recommendation a "vital" step for the proposal to move forward. Any future state support would have to face the full legislative process in the General Assembly before it could become official.
After the Interim Study Committee on Commerce and Economic Development’s action earlier this week, the city of Hammond made it known that it plans to pursue one of the two Majestic Star licenses if the casinos are moved.
The discussion by the committee was born out of Senate Resolution 24, which was authored by Senator Eddie Melton (D-3) and called for further exploration into economic assets in Gary such as the harbor, the Gary/Chicago International Airport and the Lakefront corridor.
You can read more about the committee recommendation from our partners at The Times of Northwest Indiana.