(FORT WAYNE) - Allen County leaders are asking residents to weigh in on the idea of a gambling casino. The Allen County Council will hold a public meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 20, at 6pm at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum.
Casino talk has been bubbling up for years, especially after a failed 2024 attempt to move the Rising Star Casino from southern Indiana to Allen County. While that effort went nowhere, the conversation didn't stop.
It picked up steam again last fall after a study commissioned by the Indiana Gaming Commission looked at possible relocation sites. The study pointed to downtown Indianapolis and an area north of Fort Wayne in DeKalb County as the strongest options -- but it didn't rule out Allen County entirely.
Fort Wayne Mayor Sharon Tucker has previously said the opportunity to bring a casino to the area is "too big to pass up," though she later emphasized that her top priority remains addressing homelessness in the city. Any decision on casino placement would be made at the state and county levels.
Allen County isn't the only place having the conversation. Just last week, Republican leaders in Steuben County met to discuss whether a casino could be a fit there, too.
County officials say Tuesday's meeting isn't about making a final decision -- it's about listening. Residents will have the chance to speak up, ask questions and share whether they see a casino as an opportunity, a concern or something in between.