(ANGOLA) - Would a casino be a big win for Steuben County or a dangerous role of the dice?
While nothing is set in stone, some Steuben County leaders say it's time to lay the cards on the table and talk about it.
Saturday morning, the Heritage Club hosted a breakfast & discussion led by Steuben County GOP Chair Rick Michael who said the goal was to talk openly about the good and bad of such a project.
Even with some potential negative issues, Michael says a casino would be a good fit for Steuben County. It would help the tax revenue base. With Steuben County being a tourism based county having a casino would be another opportunity for them.
Steuben County Tourism Rep June Julien told state lawmakers the same thing when she met them at the capital last month.
Steuben County formally entered into the Casino discussion late last year, when the Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to express interest in learning more about the impact a casino would make to the area. Steuben County Commission President Will Howard stressed this is a fact-finding phase.
Howard says they have not said they will or will not be a location for a casino. They just want to be part of the conversation. He says they don't know yet if it's a good fit for the county because they are still gathering information. (LISTEN ABOVE).
Steuben County would gain between 800 to 1,000 direct jobs, with workers earning an average of $40,000 and $45,000 per year.
State lawmakers are currently considering two main paths. One would relocate the underperforming Rising Star Casino license to Allen County. Another would create a new casino license through a competitive bidding process.
No decision has been made on whether, or where, a casino will be built in Northeast Indiana, with lawmakers expected to continue discussions during the 2026 legislative session.