American casino operator Churchill Downs Incorporated has announced the official submission of a proposal to bring a new gambling-friendly development to the western Indiana city of Terre Haute.

The Louisville-headquartered firm used a Wednesday press release to disclose that its envisioned Queen of Terre Haute Casino Resort would come complete with a 125-room hotel in addition to a casino offering as many as 1,000 slots and 50 gaming tables. The company stated that all of this would be complemented by a TwinSpires-branded sportsbook and ‘several food and beverage offerings’ as well as design features and concepts that ‘reflect the unique heritage of Vigo County and the surrounding region.’

Filled field:

Churchill Downs Incorporated already owns the 140,000 sq ft Rivers Casino Des Plains facility in the neighboring state of Illinois and is one of four firms bidding for the license to bring a casino to the Indiana community. The company is now hoping that its aggressive bid, which it divulged draws inspiration from Terre Haute’s ‘Queen City of the Wabash Valley’ nickname, will be approved by the Indiana Gaming Commission this year so as to allow it to open the facility by the end of 2022.

Alluring appraisal:

Bill Carstanjen serves as the Chief Executive Officer for Churchill Downs Incorporated and he used the press release to proclaim that he wants the Queen of Terre Haute Casino Resort to become a ‘destination gaming facility’ for aficionados from across Indiana, Illinois and Kentucky. The boss furthermore declared that a recent economic impact assessment conducted by Purdue University estimated that the planned venue would annually benefit the region to the tune of about $190 million and create approximately 500 full-time jobs.

Read a statement from Carstanjen…

“Churchill Downs Incorporated has a 147-year track record of offering extraordinary entertainment experiences and has significant expertise developing premier casino and gaming properties throughout the United States. We are proud to offer our vision for this world-class casino, which would be a true destination resort designed to draw visitors and economic activity from across the Midwest to Terre Haute.”

Community cheer:

Churchill Downs Incorporated is up against rivals Full House Resorts Incorporated, Hard Rock International and the local Terre Haute Entertainment joint venture in the race for the license to bring a casino to Terre Haute. However, Carstanjen expressed optimism regarding his company’s bid as the evaluation additionally calculated that it would eventually lead to a 2% increase in gross regional product.

Carstanjen’s statement read…

“We appreciate the local encouragement we’ve received as we’ve evaluated this opportunity. In the days ahead, we look forward to making our case to the Indiana Gaming Commission as to why our proposal to build the Queen of Terre Haute Casino Resort is in the best interest of the residents and businesses of Terre Haute, Vigo County and the state of Indiana.”