§ 4-33-6-4.5 — Conditions for gaming operations to move to an inland casino within Gary; commission considerations; payment installments; additional fee for sale or transfer of license; employment goals

Indiana § 4-33-6-4.5

• Jurisdiction: Indiana
• Art. 33: RIVERBOAT GAMBLING
• Ch. 6: Licensing of Owners

Text

5. (a) Subject to section 4.6 of this chapter, a
person holding an owner's license under section 1(a)(1) of this chapter
may move gaming operations to an inland casino within Gary only if
the licensed owner:
(1) pays twenty million dollars ($20,000,000) to the commission
as described in subsection (e);
(2) submits to the commission before January 1, 2020, with
agreement from the legislative body of the city of Gary, a request
for approval to relocate the licensed owner's gaming operations;
(3) complies with all applicable building codes and any safety
requirements imposed by the commission;
(4) submits to the commission a plan for complying with IC 4-33-14 in the construction and conduct of the licensed owner's
gaming operations at an inland location; and
(5) submits to the commission a plan for complying with
subsection (h) regarding transferring existing employees to an
inland location and hiring and training new employees for an
inland location.
(b) The commission shall prescribe the form of the request for
approval to relocate the licensed owner's gaming operations under this
section.
(c) When considering a request to relocate a riverboat under this
section, the commission shall consider:
(1) economic benefits;
(2) tax revenue;
(3) the number of new jobs;
(4) whether the owner plans an investment of at least one hundred
fifty million dollars ($150,000,000) for the relocation, with
sixty-five percent (65%) of the owner's proposed investment for
the development of a casino, and thirty-five percent (35%) of the
owner's proposed investment for the development of nongaming
amenities; and
(5) any other issue deemed appropriate by the commission.
(d) Upon the commission's approval of the request to relocate, the
licensed owner shall relinquish one (1) owner's license issued under
section 1(a)(1) of this chapter. The commission may impose any
additional requirement on a licensed owner relocating gaming
operations under this section.
(e) The payment required by subsection (a)(1) must be paid to the
commission in five (5) annual payments of equal amounts. The first
payment required by this section is due on the day that the commission
approves the request to relocate. The four (4) remaining annual
payments are each due on the anniversary date of the first payment.
(f) In addition to the payment required by subsection (a)(1), if the
licensed owner:
(1) relocates the licensed owner's gaming operations under this
section; and
(2) sells or otherwise transfers the licensed owner's interest in the
owner's license within five (5) years from the date the relocation
is approved by the commission;
the licensed owner shall pay an additional fee of twenty million dollars
($20,000,000) before the sale or transfer of the license may be
approved by the commission.
(g) The commission shall collect and deposit the payment required
by subsection (a)(1) and any payment required by subsection (f) in the
state general fund.
(h) The licensed owner of a riverboat relocated under this section is
subject to the following employment goals:
(1) Each employee employed at the riverboat shall be offered a
similar position at the inland location.
(2) The licensed owner shall consider hiring and training
individuals who have been laid off from the riverboat operating
in East Chicago before considering other applicants for similar
job openings.

Legislative History

As added by P.L.293-2019, SEC.13.