Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana Officially Open

The brand new $300 million Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana is now officially open to the public.

This is the first land-based venue in that part of the state, and it is expected to become a major tourist destination.

Spectacle Entertainment and Hard Rock International have teamed up for this project, but it wasn’t without controversy. Now that the Hard Rock Casino property is open, the two Majestic Star Casino boats will begin to be phased out.

This new casino will bring a huge boost in revenue in the state of Indiana, and it is also set to add new jobs. Both will help the state continue to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic that rocked the state financially.

There will be over 1,600 slot machines and 80 table games at the Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana, making it one of the biggest casinos in Indiana. This casino will employ over 1,300 full-time workers, but nearly half of them will be coming from the Majestic Star properties. Although sports betting in Indiana is now legal, there is no sportsbook inside the casino just yet. This is not a major issue, as residents and sports bettors in the state do have access to one of the widest choice of sports betting apps in Indiana.

The new property is over 200,000 square feet in space, and guests will be welcomed by a 37-foot tall sign at the entrance. Tours have been given in recent months, but now the general public will be able to view the entire property.

Jerome Prince, mayor of Gary, has expressed excitement about the new project and the amount of money that will be invested into the city. The companies have already invested more than $500 million in building the property, and new money will continue to trickle in.

The Hard Rock Casino name is synonymous with both gaming and rock and roll music, and it is the Jackson family that is highlighted at this property. The Jackson family was born and raised in the Gary area, and they were an easy choice to be honored at this property.

A guitar owned by Joe Jackson is one of the most important pieces on display at Hard Rock Casino, but other memorabilia can also be viewed by guests and visitors. This guitar was picked up earlier this year from Tito Jackson, another member of the famed “Jackson 5.”

Initial Opening Date Delayed

This property was supposed to open much earlier than May 2021 after the official groundbreaking took place in January 2020. The Indiana Gaming Commission forced construction to pause at one point as that group was investigating members of Spectacle Entertainment.

The biggest news of this investigation was the licensure suspense for Rod Ratcliff, one of the most influential people in the Indiana gaming industry. Assets from the old Majestic Star Casino to the new Hard Rock property were not allowed to transfer during this investigation, but the IGC ultimately allowed the construction to resume.

Spectacle Entertainment was ultimately issued a fine of more than $500,000, but it won’t have any impact on the operations as the new Hard Rock property. Indiana has a strong casino gaming industry, but adding the Hard Rock name to the mix will create even more competition.

For more sports news and legal sports betting in Indiana, check out more stories on our blog.

Relevant news