SHELBYVILLE - Indiana Downs plans to open a temporary casino as early as April.
Officials from Indiana's other pari-mutuel horse racing track revealed more about their plans for a "racino" during a meeting of the Indiana Horse Racing Commission on Thursday.
Indiana Downs Attorney J. Lee McNeely presented plans to construct a 228,000-square-foot gaming facility immediately north of its existing grandstand building. A 48,000 square-foot temporary casino will be built to house slot machines and the remaining 180,000-square-feet built around it.
"We plan to create a 48,000-square-foot facility within the permanent facility," McNeely said. "We plan to be open by April of next year with 500 to 700 slot machines in the temporary area of the permanent facility."
Should Indiana Downs make good on its project, its casino would be more than double the 92,000-square-foot project unveiled by Hoosier Park last month.
McNeely said between 150 and 250 jobs could become available with the opening of the temporary facility. While the first phase of construction will see a casino building erected, Indiana Downs plans to add a hotel and possibly a convention center within five years' time.
"This is only phase one; phase two will create a comprehensive entertainment destination," said McNeely. "If, for example, a Verizon Wireless (concert venue) in Fishers decided it no longer wanted to be in Fishers, we would welcome something like that."
Commissioner Alan Armstrong asked whether horse racing would be visible from the casino, and McNeely responded that that was Indiana Downs' intention.
Armstrong also mentioned visiting a racetrack-casino in which he had to walk through the casino in order to enter the grandstand. McNeely said Indiana Downs was looking at several design concepts with that consideration in mind.
"That may be the best way to maximize revenue, but it may not be the best thing for the racing patron," said Joe Gorajec, executive director of the commission.
"Keep in mind that the approach we have brought you today is only conceptual," McNeely said. "A great many things will change."