Plans are moving forward for a new convention center complex within the existing grounds of the Hard Rock Casino in Gary, Indiana. Located at 5400 W 29th Avenue, the Lake County Board of Commissioners selected their winning bid earlier this month, defeating a competing proposal from the city of Hobart, located further east.
Site map of Lake County Convention Center by Aecom
Diagram of Lake County Convention Center by Aecom
The proposal is being led by a collaboration between the City of Gary and the Hard Rock Casino. Since opening in 2021, the casino has generated the highest revenue in the state of Indiana and the second highest in the Chicagoland area. As a result, the neighboring city of Hammond protested the bid, claiming it would take more business away from their casinos, according to the Sun-Times.
Rendering of Lake County Convention Center by Aecom
Rendering of Lake County Convention Center by Aecom
Designed by the national firm AECOM, the convention center will span 145,000 square feet on the southwest corner of the casino parking lot. The two-story facility will feature a 40,000-square-foot exhibit hall and an 18,000-square-foot ballroom. Both spaces will be divisible and are intended to accommodate not only major conferences but also smaller local events.
Floor plan of Lake County Convention Center by Aecom
Rendering of Lake County Convention Center by Aecom
With the community in mind, the development team aims to keep the space active year-round, including an outdoor plaza for events like farmers markets. A large outdoor canopy will showcase its structural framework as a nod to Gary’s steel and industrial past. There will also be a pedestrian bridge connecting the center to a new Hard Rock Hotel.
Rendering of Lake County Convention Center by Aecom
Full site plan of Lake County Convention Center by Aecom
The new hotel tower will be connected to the existing casino and convention center via the aforementioned bridge. The 12-story tower will feature 300 rooms and will complete the first phase of the project. The second phase will include a four-story parking garage, two restaurants across the street, and two additional 200-key hotels.
Rendering of Lake County Convention Center by Aecom
Rendering of Lake County Convention Center by Aecom
There is also room to expand the convention center further west in the future. The two-phase project is expected to cost over $100 million and will be funded through gaming taxes, state funds, and a $30 million commitment over 20 years from Hard Rock. Construction is expected to begin later this year.
A website for the project can be found here. A presentation for the project can be found here.
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One hopes that all that glass will be bird-friendly.
I really feel for the sale team that will attempt to attract conventions to Gary, IN.
The casino is the draw. It’s wouldn’t be too difficult to create a decent convention center + hotel + casino package. Plus, since it’s Lake County’s convention center, a lot of the responsibility (to draw groups, business, etc…) falls to them not Gary.
Convention industry is withering and very competitive. Having a Casino hotel and one resteraunt does not meet the minimum requirements for anything outside a regional meeting group that will drive home at night. This is going to be a hard sell with any serious industry with more than 500 visitors.
From what I read elsewhere, they already have groups (conferences, trade shows, etc…) interested in using the new convention center. It will be the county’s only convention center, so there’s no true competition to speak of. If the casino continues to do well, then the convention center will succeed as I see the two tied together.
The structural framework is a nod to Gary’s steel and industrial present too.
It’s a winner and will succeed there’s nothing can stop the progress.
I’m really hoping (but not holding my breath) that this causes them to make the location more accessible to everyone not in a car, especially since Gary doesn’t have buses on Sundays. Riding a bike on Burr Street (which you have to do to cross it; even if you ride on the the Little Calumet River Trail, the sides don’t line up) is terrifying, and I’m sure the traffic from this will make it worse. (And I’ve never tried to walk to it, but I’m sure crossing the street to get to the casino is horrible.)
It would also be great if they made it possible to get from there to Lake Etta County Park, .6 of a mile down the street – the bus doesn’t go there, but it does go to the casino, so if it were possible to get from the casino to Lake Etta without a car, aside from making Lake Etta actually accessible to residents outside of cars (because it’s surrounded by streets without sidewalks, and even though there is a trail that connects it to Little Calumet River trail, it’s gated off) people could ride the train into Gary, take the bus to the convention center and/or casino and/or hotel (as long as it’s not Sunday, siiiigh), and also walk (or ride a bike, if we put a bikeshare dock there) to the park. People could grab lunch at one of these new restaurants for a picnic in the park.
But, I’m probably dreaming too big.
The casino also needs to be enlarged. It’s already too small
This casino has generated all that money, but what has it done for our community? All GARY schools have been closed down except for one of them the local library closed local elementary schools closed local grocery stores closed the Black Oak community when I was growing up had everything you needed now we have nothing but a casino, would like to see the casino give back to the community