Homeland Security Adds New Delay For Terre Haute Casino Construction

Posted on January 16, 2025

Churchill Downs’ $260 million project to build Queen of Terre Haute Casino in Vigo County is on hold again. A construction permit from the Department of Homeland Security is required for the Indiana casino project to proceed.

Latest delay should be short

Queen of Terre Haute General Manager Michael Rich said the latest delay in construction is “standard in the state of Indiana that they needed to review.” In order to erect steel, the casino must receive approval from the Department of Homeland Security.

Rich is confident the approval will happen fairly quickly and construction on the casino will resume immediately once they have the green light.

Construction began in June 2022. It was expected to be completed in 2025, but there have been several delays. Churchill Downs has officially pushed back the opening to March 2025.

Delays on the project began even before construction was started.

The casino was originally going to be built on the west side of Terre Haute near the airport. But planners decided they needed more room to expand in the future. At the same time, the FAA was concerned that the height of the proposed building would create hazards for flight paths.

The project was moved to the east side of the city on a 50-acre plot of land closer to Interstate 70 and State Road 46. Also, the building height was lowered from 150 feet to 141, and warning lights were installed.

Traffic flow concerns by the Indiana Department of Transportation further delayed the project, and this Homeland Security permit is just the latest delay on top of the pile.

Terre Haute on the path to a bright future

Anticipation is high in Terre Haute over the last casino to be built in Indiana. The state’s casinos made over $2.4 billion in revenue during 2022, so having a piece of that industry close to home is exciting for residents.

Queen of Terre Haute will feature a bar and grill, Rock Wood, as well as a top-tier steakhouse, Four Corner Steakhouse.

The project will create permanent employment for 500 people. Projections indicate the casino will cater to over 1.3 million gamblers, generating more than $630 million in revenue annually.

Other amenities include: