Vanderburgh-based Lt. Gov. not a player in casino debate

Crouch, a Vanderburgh County resident, said after a Southwest Indiana Chamber lunch event at Tropicana Friday that she isn't a player in the debate over a Senate-passed bill that could place a casino in Terre Haute. That would likely mean stiff competition for Tropicana Evansville — and, some say, significant losses.

The Indiana House Public Policy Committee devoted several hours Wednesday to hearing testimony onthe legislation offered by Republican Senators Jon Ford of Terre Haute and Mark Messmer of Jasper.

"There's a lot of conversations that I'm not privy to," Crouch said, noting that she doesn't attend caucuses and committee hearings in the Legislature.

"Until the bill's actually reached the Senate in a final form, I am not too engaged in the process of that until then because that may be when I might have to vote on something if there's a tie vote," she said.

The bill would provide for two casinos in Gary to be relocated from Lake Michigan. One would go to Vigo County. It also allows casinos and off-track betting facilities to offer pro and college sports gambling by pre-registered bettors.

While advocates have said the legislation could provide a needed economic boost to Gary and Terre Haute, others have decried the potential damage to Tropicana Evansville and the city itself.

Sen. Vaneta Becker, R-Evansville, who voted against Ford and Messmer's bill in the Senate, railed against it on Friday.

"When Tropicana was built, we had to live under the rules of the state," Becker said. "Tropicana spent $50 million (on its land-based casino) and played by the rules, and now they're changing the rules of the state on gaming issues. Now they're going to move a license. Before, you couldn't.

"We had to build in our footprint. (Tropicana) couldn't pick a new location if they thought it was going to be better for their business. They had to live within the footprint."

Ford and Messmer's legislation does provide $1.2 million in one year, $900,000 in the second year and $600,000 in the third year to the city of Evansville.

But Becker called those figures "ridiculous," citing estimates that the legislation would cost Tropicana $10 million a year. The three payments don't come close to making up for what the local casino would lose, she said.

Crouch said she isn't taking a strong stand on the legislation "because it is such a fluid process, and it is such a fluid topic."

"What came out of the Senate, I know will change in the House," she said. "I expect it will go to conference committee, and we'll have to see what is hammered out."

Crouch did express concern for Tropicana's position.

"I would love, whatever happens, to see Tropicana's assessment protected because they just invested $50 million for a land-based casino here in this area," she said. "So we want to ensure that if anything happens, it doesn't hurt those people and those corporations in those communities that have already created investments in their own communities."

Wednesday's hearing yielded no vote and no amendments to the legislation. It will go before the House Public Policy Committee again next Wednesday.