The Gary Common Council approved another major investment from Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana at its Tuesday evening meeting.
The ordinance passed in an 8-0 vote Tuesday. Councilwoman Marian Ivey, D-4th, was absent.
According to the ordinance, from 2026 to 2029, Hard Rock will donate $500,000 to Gary for police vehicles, which the city will then match each year with $500,000. This comes after a 2025 donation of $1 million from the casino, which the city matched with $500,000.
Hard Rock officials declined to comment Wednesday.
City Controller Chenika Beck gave an overview of the ordinance during Tuesday’s meeting.
The city and Hard Rock are in partnership to replace all police vehicles, Beck said. Last year, they replaced 23, she added.
“They were brand new and have been equipped with the proper equipment,” Beck said. “And so, the agreement states … for the next five years, we are going to match Hard Rock dollar for dollar … in order to replace 15 police vehicles per year.”
The donation allows the city to move forward on its work, she added.
Gary Deputy Police Chief Brian Evans said the dollars will give much needed upgrades to the police fleet. They can buy vehicles outright, which is a change from the past when they did a lease buyback, which limited the amount they could buy.
“These cars are fully equipped,” Evans said. “Once we get the cars … they’ll have everything they need in them. … These vehicles are significant now because they’re the officers’ mobile offices.”
Councilman Kenneth Whisenton, D-at large, asked Evans what upgrades the car will have, including license plate readers. Evans told him the new cars will have license plate readers inside, in-car cameras for transports, front- and rear-facing radars for tickets, among other upgrades.
“We will also have to have gun racks in them,” Evans said. “In today’s society, with there being active shooters, our officers will be equipped with the most modern weapons immediately.”
Officers will also have access to more than 50 cameras in gas stations citywide because of the upgraded vehicles, Evans said.
Council Vice President Darren Washington, D-at large, said during Tuesday’s meeting that he appreciates the donations, but he’s concerned that Hard Rock is donating money to the city while attempting to appeal its property tax assessment.
“I appreciate the money for the cars,” Washington said, “but if they paid their tax bills, we wouldn’t need a donation, we could just buy the cars ourselves.”
Corporation Counsel Carla Morgan said Hard Rock has been appealing its tax assessment since the casino’s construction. The Gary casino opened in 2021.
Morgan added that Gary Mayor Eddie Melton has been working with casino officials and Lake County Assessor LaTonya Spearman “to get to the right number.”
“Basically, they’ve been assessed at the value that they had during construction, which we think is about half of what the current value is,” Morgan said. “So, we’re actively dealing with it.”
Washington also asked if the new Lake County Convention Center will be included in the assessed value. Morgan said the convention center will be owned by the authority, and the city will be part owner with the county. The convention center will be a government-owned property and not taxable.
