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 proje ct. 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. Turpin emphasized the scale and seriousness of the project: “It’s a massive commitment, which means the folks that do this really have to know what they’re doing, and they’re probably looking at sites today if they’re serious about doing this.” North River District Fieldhouse Proposal In addition to the casino discussion, Turpin addressed the proposed North River Fieldhouse, a youth sports complex planned for the nearly 30-acre former OmniSource site north of the MLK Bridge downtown. The city of Fort Wayne requested $1.5 million from the Capital Improvement Board (CIB) to fund a study of the site, but the board approved only $180,000, matched by $180,000 from the City Redevelopment Commission, for a total of $360,000. Turpin questioned the use of taxpayer funds for the study without a clear plan to finance the estimated $60–80 million project. “My concern is that we’ve spent $360,000 on top of $100,000 spent last year for another study to basically sit on a shelf and never be used,” Turpin said. “Because you do not have the capital stack to pay for the $80 million project, and until you tell the public how you’re going to pay for this, to me it’s like you might as well just light that $360,000 on fire. It is not having a taxpayer purpose.” The study, conducted by Price Brothers of Kansas City, will explore the fieldhouse as well as mixed-use development, including apartments and commercial space. Public Transparency and Engagement Turpin stressed the need for public engagement and transparency, urging residents to understand how taxpayer dollars are being spent. “This is city and county money. This is paid for by everyone in Allen County, and we ought to, with this as with everything else we do in public, make sure it is money well spent,” he said. Addressing concerns about rushed decision-making, Turpin noted that city council members often have as little clarity on the projects as the public. “If you live in the city of Fort Wayne, you need to be talking to your city council person about this,” he said. “Ultimately, these decisions are factored in by them as well. A lot of people feel they haven’t had any opportunity to weigh in, and that’s fair.” While open to development opportunities in the North River District, Turpin emphasized that projects must be pursued collaboratively and transparently. “Let’s do it, but not in silos and in secret,” he said. “That’s where I feel like it’s happening right now, and that’s the big problem and sticking point for me as well.” Looking Ahead The discussion highlighted the importance of public participation in both the casino referendum and the North River District project. Turpin encouraged residents to educate themselves and actively engage in these decisions, noting that taxpayer dollars and community input are central to responsible development. If you want, I can also make this even more “news-ready” with a strong opening paragraph and lede that grabs readers, while keeping these headings for clarity. It would read like a front-page story. Do you want me to do that next? The post WOWO EXCLUSIVE – Commissioner Ron Turpin talks Casino and North River with Kayla appeared first on WOWO News/Talk 92.3 FM and 1190 AM. ...read more read less