The Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority is getting ready for the new Lake County convention center, approving a resolution Tuesday that will smooth the way for issuing up to $150 million in bonds for the project.
The Indiana Finance Authority and Gary are expected to adopt similar resolutions.
Under the terms of the agreement, the city and the state will each pay $5 million a year to pay off the bonds. RDA President and CEO Sherri Ziller is directed to provide periodic status reports about the project.
The convention center project has been in the works since 2023. Last year, Hard Rock Casino in Gary was chosen as the site for the convention center.
Hammond representative Anne Taylor cast the sole vote against the resolution.
Ziller updated the RDA board on a variety of other initiatives.
The land development entity being created to assemble property and help iron out issues with troubled lots has three people on the board, enough to get the new nonprofit started.
That board includes NIPSCO Director of Public Affairs and Economic Development Rick Calinski, Northwest Indiana Realtors Association CEO Pete Novak and One Region CEO Matt Wells. The board will be expanded in the future, Ziller said.
The RDA is helping the new entity finalize legal documents.
RDA attorney David Hollenbeck said he’s drafting RDA Economic Development Director AJ Bytnar to help with the bylaws. Bytnar enjoys writing bylaws, “so I’m going to work with AJ and let him enjoy himself,” Hollenbeck said.
Progress has begun toward building a new Gary Metro Station, with board members for that new entity appointed. The current station serves South Shore Line trains and Gary Public Transportation Corp. buses.
Gary is devoting $3 million a year for 25 years toward the new station, Ziller said.
Porter’s 2011 Gateway to the Dunes $3.9 million grant still has about $500,000 left in that 15-year-old grant, so the RDA granted permission for the town to use some of the money to acquire land at the southeast corner of Waverly Road and U.S. 20 for the Dunes Kankakee Trail.
The Professional Sports Development Commission is drafting a request for proposals to develop a comprehensive master plan, Ziller reported.
Doug Ross is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
