Drops suit against the IGC
Full House Resorts has dropped its legal action contesting the Indiana Gaming Commission (IGC)’s decision to award Churchill Downs a Vigo County casino license.
The move by Full House on Tuesday paves the way for Churchill Downs to build a long-awaited casino in the west central Indiana city of Terry Haute.
Anchor at WTHI-TV Terre Haute, Jon Swaner, shared the news via Twitter:
Casino.org cites a letter to IGC general counsel Dennis Mullen from an attorney for the Indianapolis firm representing Full House. The lawyer’s letter said the firm neither harbored malicious intent nor desired to delay the Terre Haute project any further.
even if the process were reopened or repeated, the outcome is unlikely to be different”
“Although we disagree with the characterizations that were made regarding the motives and merits of our claims, the comments by the Chairman and the other commissioners made clear that, even if the process were reopened or repeated, the outcome is unlikely to be different,” the lawyer wrote.
“Full House’s top priority is for the Commission to continue to view the company as having the highest levels of character and integrity,” he added.
About-face
Full House filed its challenge against the IGC on December 16 in the Marion County Superior Court, Indianapolis. The suit alleged the IGC broke the state’s Open Door Law, denied Full House’s casino license application, and favored Churchill’s proposal with no discussion, comment, explanation, or public debate.
At an IGC meeting less than a week later, executive director Greg Small defended the regulator’s process in selecting Churchill and criticized Full House for its actions. IGC chairman Michael McMains went as far as dismissing the lawsuit and appeal as “sour grapes.”
Casino.org cites a Tuesday night statement from McMains, saying said he was thankful for Full House’s change of heart.
West Central Indiana will soon benefit from this significant economic development project”
“We are pleased that Full House has dismissed these actions and that Vigo County and the greater community of West Central Indiana will soon benefit from this significant economic development project,” McMains said.
Coast finally clear
Residents of Terre Haute champing at the bit for a casino can finally start chalking off the days, after a dramatic month of legal challenges.
In late December, an Indiana administrative law judge signed an order dismissing Lucy Luck Gaming’s appeal against the IGC’s decision not to renew Lucy Luck’s casino license in Vigo County. In a settlement reached with the IGC, Lucy Luck got its $5m license fee back.
Speculation has arisen about whether Churchill is mulling relocating its proposed casino site from the western part of Terre Haute to the east. According to a spokesperson for the Kentucky-based firm, Churchill is “still open to exploring options.”