(ANGOLA) - Voters will get to decide if a casino should be allowed in Steuben County.
The Steuben County Commission voted unanimously this week to approve a resolution placing a casino referendum question on the November 3rd general election ballot. The referendum is one of the required legal steps under new Indiana legislation allowing Steuben, Allen and DeKalb Counties to pursue a possible inland casino license.
Indiana State law says the question that will appear on the ballot must read "Shall inland casino gambling be permitted in Steuben County?".
The resolution needed to be approved before June 1st in order for the referendum to appear on the November ballot.
If the referendum is approved by voters, casino operators could then apply to the Indiana Gaming Commission for a casino license by December 1st. Approval of the referendum would not automatically guarantee a casino in Steuben County. If multiple eligible counties approve casino gambling, the casino operator would ultimately decide where to locate the development.
If voters reject the referendum, the county cannot place the question before voters again under the current legislation.
A study commissioned by the Steuben County Economic Development Corporation estimated a casino in Steuben County could generate between $14.1 million and $16.6 million annually in gaming tax revenue locally. The same study estimated the development could create between 800 and 1,200 full-time equivalent jobs with average annual wages between $45,000 and $60,000.
Though no formal casino site has been selected, local officials have repeatedly identified the Interstate 69 and Indiana Toll Road corridor near Fremont as a possible development area.