Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana Convention Center Moving Forward
Posted on: August 8, 2025, 11:43h.
Last updated on: August 8, 2025, 01:16h.
- A convention center is likely coming to Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana
- The $100 million facility will be partially funded by the casino
- A 300-room hotel is also included in the project
Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana opened in May 2021 as a standalone gaming facility. In the coming years, a $100 million convention center and on-site hotel are likely to come to the property that’s owned and operated by the Seminole Tribe of Florida.
In May, the Lake County Board of Commissioners picked Gary, Ind. over a competing bid from Hobart to house the county’s new convention center complex. The City of Gary and Hard Rock bid on the convention center opportunity by pledging $100 million to the project over 20 years.
This week, the Gary Common Council introduced an ordinance that would require Hard Rock Northern Indiana to pay the local council $1.5 million annually. The Common Council would then add $3.5 million and submit the yearly money to the Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority by August 31, the ordinance states.
The city’s portion would be collected from local casino taxes. Hard Rock Northern Indiana paid almost $55 million last year in state and local gaming taxes.
Construction Could Start This Year
If the Gary Common Council ordinance is adopted as expected, the State of Indiana would cover the initial $100 million financing of the Lake County Convention Center. The state would direct $100 million in gaming taxes to the project, and then be paid back over 20 years.
The 145K-square-foot complex would include a 40K-square-foot exhibition hall and an 18K-square-foot ballroom. Both spaces are flexible and will be able to be combined, and are surrounded by prefunction facilities, including restrooms, kitchens, mechanical/electrical rooms, and other back-of-house support.
The convention center would be connected to a newly constructed 300-room hotel at Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana. A possible later expansion of the convention center grounds includes a West End Convention Center and two additional hotels with a combined 500 keys.
This is a tremendous moment for Lake County. Together, we have the chance to create a world-class destination that generates economic opportunity, creates jobs, drives tourism, and supports local businesses,” Matt Schuffert, president of Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana, said in May after the bid was picked.
“Our vision has always been about creating strong economic opportunities for our community,” added Gary Mayor Eddie Melton.
Melton said at the time that construction could begin before the year’s end. It’s slated to be finished by late 2027.
Economic Generator
Along with the Hard Rock Casino, Gary officials say the convention center will help continue the Indiana city’s economic comeback. Once a thriving city known for its steel mills, Gary’s economy crashed in the 1970s and has since been known for blight, poverty, and crime.
By capitalizing on the draw of Northwest Indiana’s leading tourist attraction, this project will further boost tourism, create jobs, generate opportunities for local vendors, and contribute to long-term economic growth,” the Lake County Convention Center website reads.
Michael Jackson, his younger sister, Janet, and his other siblings were born and raised in Gary. The Jacksons lived in a 672-square-foot bungalow.
No comments yet