FORT WAYNE, IND. (WOWO) Allen County Commissioner Ron Turpin joined WOWO’s Kayla Blakeslee on Fort Wayne’s Morning News Tuesday to discuss two major development issues facing Northeast Indiana: the potential new casino under House Bill 1038 and the proposed North River District fieldhouse project.
House Bill 1038 and the Casino Referendum
House Bill 1038, which has cleared the legislature, opens the door for a casino in one of three Northeast Indiana counties: Allen, DeKalb, or Steuben. Turpin explained that the final version of the bill includes a mandatory referendum for voters to decide whether casino gaming should be permitted in their county.
“It’s a big enough deal that we should let the people have the say,” Turpin said. “This is one of those elections where people normally say, ‘my vote doesn’t count’ — it counts. And so what I’m going to be spending my time doing over these next few months is really telling the public, you need to have your voice be heard.”
The referendum will appear on the November 2026 ballot. A “no” vote will permanently prohibit a casino in that county, while a “yes” vote allows operators to submit detailed applications to the state by December. Applications must demonstrate site control, funding sources, construction timelines, and market viability, and operators must commit at least $650 million to the project, including $150 million to the state…