A referendum on a new casino in Vigo County will be on the fall ballot.
Additionally, the Vigo County Election Board on Monday approved four additional vote centers for the Nov. 5 election.
A second referendum could also be added to the ballot for a property tax increase to provide $7 million to the Vigo County School Corp. No referendum has yet been filed by the school corporation. The school corporation has until Aug. 1 to file for a November referendum.
The added vote centers will be at the International Union of Operating Engineers, 6801 S. U.S. 41; Vigo County Solid Waste Management District office, 3230 E. Haythorne Ave.; Seelyville Town Hall, 2299 N. Main Street, Seelyville; Sugar Creek Fire Department, 375 National Ave. in West Terre Haute.
The fire department will replace the West Terre Haute First Assembly of God church as a voting site in West Terre Haute for the November municipal election.
"This way we have outlying voting centers in the county, (that) kind of accommodates more exterior county residents, with one (vote center) north, one south, one east and one west," said Vigo County Clerk Brad Newman. "It makes it easier for county residents to vote throughout the county.
"Depending on where you live, it is no more than 15 minutes (drive time) to a vote center.
"A lot of people are really excited about the casino possibly coming to Terre Haute," Newman said. "We are in a race for time now, so the sooner we approve it and get started on it, the less we have to worry about Danville or one of the other communities wanting to put a casino close to us."
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker on June 28 signed a new gaming bill expanding gambling, including a potential casino site in Danville, about 60 miles northwest of Terre Haute.
Under the Illinois legislation, to receive a gaming license, the city of Danville must appear before the Illinois Gaming Board within 120 days to show that an owner/operator is in place for the project to move forward. The Illinois Gaming Board then conducts background checks and goes over requirements in approving a casino license application.
Newman called the casino referendum in Vigo County "a good thing, it is going to be a positive thing for this county and its people," he said.
"I would hope to think that the people of Vigo County would see this as a positive. More businesses, more people coming to our community," Newman said. "... As far as personal opinion, I will be voting for it (casino). I am looking forward to it, I think it will be a great thing for this community."
The added vote centers will bring to 14 the number of voting centers open on election day this fall.
The county will have two voting centers - the Vigo County Annex and Honey Creek Mall - open 28 days prior to the election.
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