Chatter bounced off the high ceilings of St. Timothy’s Church on Thursday as hundreds of Lake County residents filled the pews, waiting for an answer to a question that has stirred both hope and doubt: Could Gary become home to the long-awaited Lake County Convention Center?
With the decision narrowed to two locations, Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana in Gary and Patriot Park in Hobart, Gary Mayor Eddie Melton explained why the city is the right choice.
“Folks think that this project should not be in Gary,” Melton said, scanning the crowd as murmurs of skepticism rippled across the room. “Folks think that Gary is not ready for this type of project, but I beg to differ.”
Melton pointed to Gary’s existing infrastructure and prime location as key advantages. Gary’s site is shovel-ready, with access to Interstates 80 and 94 and the South Shore Line, offering a direct connection to Chicago. He emphasized that a major development partner, Hard Rock Casino, was already in place, with a multimillion-dollar commitment to help fund the project.
Hard Rock officials said the project would help attract more visitors to the city and boost the local economy.
“Hard Rock is proud to be part of this community, and we’re excited to build on that commitment to drive even greater economic impact in this region,” said Matt Schuffert, president of Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana. “Let’s bring some people from outside of Gary to spend some money in Gary.”
As he presented the project, Melton called it “Anything but Conventional.” Together with Hard Rock Casino and consulting firm AECOM, he said they hope to create a world-class convention and hotel experience for future visitors.
“This is nothing that’s going to be cheap and shattered,” Melton stated. “This concept, this idea, is nothing we just threw together; this was very thoughtful and well thought out.”
Senate Bill 434, the last bill Melton authored as a state senator, allocated funding to demolish blighted properties in and around Gary, supported redevelopment near the downtown train station, and provided matching funds for the proposed convention center.
Melton said his intention in writing the bill was for the convention center to be in Gary. Unfortunately, he said, others opposed the idea outright.
During his remarks, Melton also emphasized the importance of hiring local, including union and trader workers, minority and women-run businesses for this project.
“Local hiring was a priority. … We ensured in the bill that there will be a focus to make sure that the local residents have access,” Melton stated.
In addition to this, he also gave another surprise.
“We’re not raising any taxes on anyone for this project,” he said, as applause and cheers rang around the auditorium. It will be entirely funded through gaming taxes, state matching funds, and Hard Rock’s $30 million investment over the next 20 years.
What the future holds
After the closing and demolition of the Star Plaza Theatre in 2018, a void was left for a space that could host large conventions and shows in Northwest Indiana. With the construction of the new convention center, the city of Gary hopes to fill that void.
The proposed building will be a 145,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art convention center with the Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority’s study’s requirements of 73,000 square feet of meeting and exhibition space, consisting of a 40,000-square-foot exhibit hall, an 18,000-square-foot ballroom, and 15,000 square feet of meeting space. The project also includes a Hard Rock Hotel with an estimated 300 rooms, two restaurants, retail, and more.
Featuring a sustainable design, the convention center aims to reduce its environmental footprint with a green roof with rainwater harvesting systems, solar panels, and greenery stretching across the roof. The look of the convention center pays homage to the city by incorporating a steel canopy, a reference to Gary’s extensive history with U.S. Steel. Additional initiatives include creating spaces for weddings, family events, and other family-friendly events.
Moving forward
Lake County commissioners have until May 31 to decide where the new convention center will be, and city leaders are keeping their fingers crossed that Gary will be the location.
“This is the right time, and Gary is the right place,” Melton said. If selected, the process could take almost two years to complete but would provide more than 1,000 jobs to the community and bring in millions annually.
The excitement for the future was felt by members of the audience as well.
“Being a Gary resident and a Hard Rock employee, I’m just happy at the place that we are in, and to see the city form a partnership with a corporate player like Hard Rock makes me very hopeful as a community that we are going in the right direction,” said Tammy Davis, who works in the entertainment department of the casino.
Davis remembered growing up in the city and seeing summer concerts at Marquette Park, which provided volunteering opportunities for youth. During those times, she became interested in the entertainment world because she saw the groundwork required for a successful show and wanted to do it full time, especially in her local community.
Richard Claudio Jr., the box office manager and mastermind behind the local Hard Rock’s entertainment department, hopes this opportunity will revitalize the community.
“It’s more about bringing more opportunities for the residents and bringing different types of events — not just concerts with big names but now bringing smaller events and artists that may not be big enough to be in the live now stage,” he said. Claudio mentioned the possibility of widening the potential of the new space by hosting events in smaller or outdoor spaces.
“Not only is this a good job opportunity, but just a way to change the perception of Gary and have more people come to Gary and realize it’s not as bad as you think,” Claudio said.
Business owners like Candace Wise, who owns A Wise Choice Limousine Service, which has been in business for 25 years, hope a convention center will create better relationships with the city, Hard Rock, and the local businesses in the community. Likewise, Gary native Jalisa Mosley hopes this project will connect several generations of the community to what used to be here and keep people from needing to relocate.
“My parents are older, and they’d tell us all about the things that they grew up with and got to experience in Gary, from going out to movies to entertainment in general, and we didn’t really get to experience that,” she said “Hopefully with this project, it comes back around where we can experience that, too.”