One of the big items that has gone unnoticed in talks of casino gambling in Fort Wayne is that there will soon be a very large casino opening this summer just a short drive from northern Indiana.
It is the new FireKeepers Casino being constructed on Interstate 94 near Battle Creek, Michigan. It is only 4 miles west of I-69. The casino is being developed by the Nottawaseppi Band of the Potawatomi Indian Tribe.
The location is just 93 miles from Fort Wayne - less than an hour and a half away - as shown on the map on right. It will be located equidistant between Detroit and Chicag and conveniently located to draw from South Bend, Grand Rapids and Lansing.
The location is smack dab in Calhoun County, Michigan, where Fort Wayne Deputy Mayor Greg Purcell served as the County Manager until returning to Fort Wayne just a few months ago.
Interestingly, Calhoun County undertook design of a way to measure the impact to goverment provided social services and criminal justice services following the opening of the casino. The study provides benchmarks against which the County can measure all impacts - negative and positive - on the county population.
You can view the Calhoun County Baseline Report here.
Construction is proceeding rapidly. You can view the webcam of the construction site here. A rendering of the finished casino is at left.
The Battle Creek Enquirer reported in January of 2009:
How will FireKeepers Casino affect the community?
That's the question the newly formed Casino Baseline Study Committee plans to answer, with the help of a research firm hired to study the socioeconomic impact of the casino.
The casino is expected to create at least 1,200 jobs with its projected opening in 2009.
The study will explore the impact of the casino on indicators such as unemployment, crime, divorce, foreclosures and other issues, according to George Erickcek, senior regional analyst for W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research, based in Kalamazoo.
"We want to be ahead of the curve as to what changes will happen with regard to the casino coming in," said Greg Purcell, a committee member and Calhoun County administrator/controller. "...It's a double-edged sword. From an economic standpoint, there are going to be good things, but there will be social welfare issues and crime issues as well."
So now we know where the "Push A Casino On Fort Wayne" came from. So it's probably a "done deal". What else is new?
Posted by: john b. kalb | February 11, 2009 at 09:26 PM
If ANYONE wants to see how "nice" a city becomes AFTER casinos hit town...do not pass GO, do not collect $200, but rather take a walk on the BOARDWALK...in Atlantic City, NJ.
If you wander a mere TWO BLOCKS uinland from the casinos, you will see a SLUM DISTRICT.
And, unfortunately, it's BEEN that way ever since the Casinos came to town, pronmising "riches beyond belief" for the town of Atlantic City.
Sure the casinos create jobs...for people that are bused INTO the city from surrounding towns. The employees even park on the other side of the causeway to grab the shuttle buses to work.
Crime, filth, and problems in the city STILL abound.
It's not your grandparents "Boardwalk" any longer.
Posted by: Bob Gaul | February 12, 2009 at 10:11 AM
Sturgis, Mich., approved a resolution endorsing a casino there on Wednesday.
Posted by: James Tew | February 13, 2009 at 03:28 PM