TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — Local business owners on Terre Haute’s east side are expecting economic develop after Churchill Downs Inc, the company bringing a casino to the city, filed an application for approval to build The Queen of Terre Haute Casino Resort in the area.
The company filed the application requesting approval to build the proposed casino along Margaret Avenue, west of State Road 46. Area business owners and community members said they are excited about the thought of a casino on Terre Haute’s east side.
“I think it’s a hub. It’s prime for development,” Matt Bilyeu, owner of a local Culver’s, said. “We have the universities, we have an airport, we have pretty good infrastructure. I think there’s a lot of potential for this area.”
Bilyeu said he believes there is room to grow on Terre Haute’s east side.
“The east side makes sense to me right. There’s a lot of room out here for development,” he said. “When you have big projects like this and you have room around them to grow and develop, you have a great asset like the airport right here, you’ll see that will spark other developments.”
Churchill Downs’ original proposal was to build south of Interstate 70 along US 41, but Terre Haute Mayor Duke Bennett said he agrees with the change to the east.
“A lot of people reached out to them and said that, you know, I think the best place is out east,” Bennett said. “It’s easy access out on and off I-70, closer to Indianapolis, more room to grow. All those things made it worthwhile for them to pursue it, and they finally found a piece of ground that could secure.”
Terre Haute resident Casey Wolfschlag said a casino along I-70 could attract more people to the community.
“I-70 is a big part of Terre Haute and people drive thru it to go from here and Brazil and it’s a main travel road,” he said. “So, I think that opening up a casino and allowing more people to stop and see Terre Haute will be better for us and our community.”
Bilyeu said he is thrilled to see the east side grow, and that he recalls a time when the growing east side was just getting off the ground.
“Our family was born and raised here. We built a business on the east side 40 years ago just down the road when there was nothing,” Bilyeu said. “It was corn fields and blue skies.”
As of 4 p.m. Tuesday, there is no set date on a groundbreaking for the Queen of Terre Haute.
