Gary officials are excited about the prospect of a new Lake County convention center coming to the city. A few hundred community members were too at a special Thursday night meeting at St. Timothy Church.
Gary Mayor Eddie Melton stressed that local union workers would be hired to do the work on the proposed 145,000-square-foot facility.
“A new convention center in Gary will be more than an event space – it will be an economic engine to continue the revitalization of our city and benefit all of Lake County,” Melton said in a press release.
Gov. Eric Holcomb signed Senate Bill 434 on May 4, 2023. The bill allows for a Lake County convention center and a metro center station fund in Gary. Melton authored the bill during his last session as a state senator. He served in the state Senate from 2016 through 2023. He become Gary's mayor in 2023.
The convention center and Hard Rock Hotel would be built along I-80 between I-294 and I-65.
“We have an opportunity to capitalize on Hard Rock’s success – a vibrant entertainment destination that has drawn more than 8 million visitors in under four years – to further boost tourism, create jobs, generate opportunities for local vendors and drive long-term economic growth,” Melton said.
The hotel would include 300 rooms.
“Hard Rock is proud to be part of this community, and we’re excited to build on that commitment to drive even greater economic impact in this region,” said Matt Schuffert, president of Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana. “… This convention center will not only drive tourism and economic growth but also create lasting opportunities for local businesses and the community.”
AECOM designed Gary's proposed convention center.
“When designing this state-of-the-art convention center, our priorities were clear: fostering community connections and promoting sustainability,” said Jeannette Peruchini, managing principal at AECOM. “We created spaces for outdoor events to bring people together, such as farmers markets and movie nights, while integrating eco-friendly features like a green roof, solar panels and rainwater harvesting systems to minimize the environmental footprint.”
Gary's proposal is among two under consideration by the Lake County Commissioner. Hobart's plan is the Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority's top pick for the new convention center. That city's plan also would include a 145,000-square-foot facility.
Johnson Consulting first considered 14 locations.
“When the Radisson hotel and conference center closed, it left a gap in Lake County’s event space market which has yet to be filled,” said Charles Johnson, president and CEO of Johnson Consulting, in a press release.
The study, which was commissioned by the RDA at the instruction of the Indiana General Assembly, was released March 14, 2024. It built on an analysis completed in 2018. It reconfirmed that a convention center in Lake County was viable.
The study also said the project would inject more than $16 million each year into the Region's economy. The potential center would create more than 1,300 construction jobs, and bring in more $3.5 million every year in tax revenues.
A decision about which site will land the convention center has a May 31 deadline.
