A casino *IS* coming to Fort Wayne
Link (Around Fort Wayne)

“January saw the real start of the Mayor’s push for the start of the casino/gambling issue in our community. It also saw the commission of the studies on the issue by the City. The following month saw Mayor Henry’s stepping up his public discussion of the event with a section devoted to the issue of bringing a casino to Fort Wayne in his State of the City followed by an editorial he wrote for the Journal Gazette.

That last item about getting a lobbyist on board is interesting. February saw the hiring of a second lobbyist, Krieg Devault, LLP, by the City of Fort Wayne. A quick check of the 0n-line list of lobbyists registered with the State of Indiana reveals no lobbyists hired by Summit City Holdings Corp. Further, all Fort Wayne, Indiana related companies or individuals on the list are not companies or individuals who would be doing so on behalf of Summit City Holdings.

The reason given by City Corporate Counsel Tim Haffner for the hiring of Krieg was that a conflict of interest within Taft, Stettinius & Hollister prevented them from taking more work or pursuing the casino referendum further. And yet, we paid them for several months in 2008 and January 2009 for lobbying efforts? The question I would have asked of the City, if they’d responded, was: did the City hire Krieg at the suggestion of Summit City Holdings? And if it was a simple conflict of interest that promoted the hiring of Krieg, how was Taft, et. al, able to lobby as long as they did without a conflict?

I know that Summit City Holdings has made three presentations on this project in the last month or two. One to a City Councilman and two to other groups with a vested interest in the project’s area. I have been told that construction on the water park and resort areas would begin this year with an eye towards beginning the casino a year or two or three down the road. That would allow them time to secure the required casino license.”

Group outlines plans for $163M project in downtown Fort Wayne
North River location eyed for hotel, water park, possible casino
Link (NS)

“A prominent local architectural firm has outlined plans for a $163 million downtown project that would include a hotel, water park, theaters, shops and possibly a casino.

Representatives of MSKTD briefed Wells Street business owners on the proposal recently, and “could be ready to submit it to the city Plan Commission next month,” according to Judi Wire, president of the Wells Street Business Association. The project would be located on the so-called “North River” property – a 29-acre site north of the St. Marys River formerly occupied by OmniSource, a metals recycling company.”

[...]

”
MSKTD officials were unavailable for comment Friday, but in January the firm was hired to design a project for a group called Summit City Grand Report and Casino Holdings Corp. that would include a 3,000-seat theater and water park. The chief executive officer of Summit City Holdings is H.S. Liddell, whose holdings also include Piere’s Entertainment Center in Fort Wayne. The project would create an estimated 1,500 jobs.

Summit City officials were also unavailable for comment. But according to the group’s Web site, it is moving ahead with the project and has had discussion with potential funding sources.”