Gary city officials moved one step closer to making the long-awaited Lake County Convention Center a reality Monday night.
The Common Council advanced an ordinance that sets up a special convention fund
for city and state matched funds, along with private contributions from Hard Rock Casino, to jointly bankroll the project with new appropriations outlined for the 2025 fiscal year. Additional funding will derive from gaming taxes.
The ordinance passed 8-0 on second reading and was referred to the Common Council’s Finance Committee, which is scheduled to meet at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 12. A final reading is expected at the council’s Aug. 19 meeting.
Council members also unanimously approved an emergency ordinance to replace City Hall’s aging elevator, which has been out of service for months and poses compliance issues with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The $230,000 quote from All-Types Elevator was significantly lower than earlier estimates, and the appropriation allows for potential change orders tied to the building’s age. The administration cited the urgent need and legal justification, while council members stressed transparency and vendor limitations.
In other action Monday night, the council approved a short-term rental request from a Chicago couple for their home in the Miller neighborhood. It passed 8-0.
Although he voted in favor of the request, Councilman Darren Washington asked the administration about its long-term stance on short-term rentals citywide.
“Since I’ve been on the council, we’ve had a plethora of a large amount of Airbnbs come through the council, especially in the 1st District,” Washington told Gary Chief of Staff Ellis Dumas. “We want to make sure that we are not literally pricing people out or pushing people out eventually as the city begins to bring in more development, more business, and jobs.”
While Dumas said a statement on the administration’s official position will come from Mayor Eddie Melton, he assured council members that all efforts will be exhausted to keep short-term rental owners in compliance.
While Dumas said Melton would issue an official position, he told council members the administration is committed to enforcing compliance among short-term rental owners. Those who don’t follow the rules, he said, harm Gary’s neighborhoods and have no place in the city.
Council President Lori Latham highlighted the nuances of short-term rental ownership in the 1st District, acknowledging the difference between locally managed properties and those that are corporate owned.
“All Airbnbs are not the same when the owner lives locally,” she said. “A lot of residents in the 1st District also have other properties that are Airbnbs. They take a lot more care. They’re in the properties more often. So those tend to be better, as opposed to these larger outfits that have a larger portfolio of properties. So the owner may not necessarily be local.”