
Gary to accept convention center design RFQs
City officials have filed a legal notice asking for design-build services to design and construct the convention center, which Gary received the bid for at the end of May. According to the legal notice, qualifications are due at noon July 28.
The city expects the applications to have an exhibit hall, ballroom and breakout meeting rooms. The 'all-inclusive project cost' should not exceed $143 million, according to the legal notice, and occupancy is expected for late 2027.
Money from gaming taxes will be put toward the convention center, and Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana plans to give $1.5 million a year for 20 years toward the construction. State matching grants of $100 million will be made available as well.
A design selection will be made the week of July 28, according to the legal notice.
The city expects the convention center to be about 70,000 sellable square feet and about 145,000 gross square feet, according to the request for design-build qualifications.
Gary Mayor Eddie Melton was unable to immediately comment on Tuesday, including whether this marks the start of the convention center process and what the city would like to see from applicants.
When Gary was selected May 21, Melton said it was a 'historic and monumental day' for the city and Lake County, according to Post-Tribune archives.
Gary is working with Hard Rock Casino on the convention center, and a Hard Rock Hotel is planned near the casino. The plan is for the property to also have space for two additional hotels, including one REVERB by Hard Rock hotel, and two restaurants and retail spaces, according to Post-Tribune archives.
'We are honored to be selected and grateful for everyone who stood with us throughout this bid process,' Hard Rock President Matt Schuffert said in a statement. 'Together, we have the chance to create a world-class destination that generates economic opportunity, creates jobs, drives tourism and supports local businesses.'
In May, Melton said it's possible that construction on the convention center will start this year, but he wouldn't commit to that.
In 2023, as an Indiana state senator, Melton created Senate Bill 434, which established a fund for the Lake County Convention Center, the blighted property demolition fund and new train station funding in downtown Gary.
The city of Hobart, partnered with Garfield Public/Private LLC, also submitted a proposal in October 2024. The two cities first presented proposals in early November 2024, and commissioners issued a request for proposals from potential developers in 2024.
'Whatever happened in the past is in the past,' Melton said following the May 21 selection. 'All of the naysayers and folks that didn't want us to have it, they've got to deal with it now, so we just have to move forward.'
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Washington Post
an hour ago
- Washington Post
A global gathering about the future of AI
As artificial intelligence evolves at lightning speed, nations are racing to grasp its promise, confront its risks and shape its future. On Tuesday, Sept. 23 at 3:00 p.m., join The Washington Post's inaugural Global AI Summit in New York to explore how this technological revolution is reshaping businesses, the workforce, education, health and humanity. Reid Hoffman Co-Founder, Manas AI Co-Founder, LinkedIn Siddhartha Mukherjee Co-Founder & CEO, Manas AI Father Paolo Benanti AI Consulter, Pontifical Academy for Life Holy See Professor, Luiss Guido Carli University Kate Kallot CEO & Founder, Amini Amandeep Singh Gill U.N. Undersecretary General & Special Envoy for Digital and Emerging Technologies David Ignatius Foreign Affairs Columnist, The Washington Post The following content is produced and paid for by a Washington Post Live event sponsor. The Washington Post newsroom is not involved in the production of this content.


NBC News
2 hours ago
- NBC News
Confederate general statue toppled in 2020 to be reinstalled in D.C.
A statue of a Confederate general that demonstrators toppled and burned in D.C. in 2020 will be reinstalled, the National Park Service announced. The bronze statue depicting Confederate Gen. Albert Pike is being restored, the Park Service said in a statement Monday. Officials shared a photo of a worker removing corrosion and paint. 'The restoration aligns with federal responsibilities under historic preservation law as well as recent executive orders to beautify the nation's capital and re-instate pre-existing statues,' a statement from the agency said. In June 2020, demonstrators used ropes to tear down the statue outside Metropolitan Police Department headquarters. On live TV, they doused the statue in lighter fluid and set it ablaze. Mayor Muriel Bowser decried property destruction and defended city police. President Donald Trump then called for the statue to go back up. Crews are aiming to have the statue up in October, the Park Service said. 'Site preparation to repair the statue's damaged masonry plinth will begin shortly, with crews repairing broken stone, mortar joints, and mounting elements,' the statement said. The Pike statue, dedicated in 1901, has been a source of controversy for years. The Confederate general also was a longtime leader of the Freemasons, who revere Pike. It was built at the request of Masons, who successfully lobbied Congress to grant them land for the statue as long as Pike would be depicted in civilian, not military, clothing. D.C. officials tried to remove the statue for years. The D.C. Council said it first called for its removal in 1992. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton introduced multiple bills in Congress to get it removed. referred to Pike as a 'chief founder of the post-Civil War Ku Klux Klan.' The Klan connection is a frequent accusation from Pike's critics and one which the Masons dispute. In an executive order this March on 'restoring truth and sanity to American history,' Trump said the secretary of the Interior would determine whether statutes have been removed since 2020 to 'perpetuate a false reconstruction of American history, inappropriately minimize the value of certain historical events or figures, or include any other improper partisan ideology.' Trump ordered their reinstatement.


Miami Herald
5 hours ago
- Miami Herald
Dollar Tree's secret price warning: Look for this red flag
Once upon a time, when you went to Dollar Tree, every item in the store cost $1. In fact, that's where Dollar Tree got its name. Of course, things have not been that way for quite a long time. In November of 2021, Dollar Tree raised prices to $1.25. This doesn't sound like a big increase, but it was a 25% price hike that adds up for price-conscious consumers – especially given that it happened during the inflation surge in the post-Covid era, when people were already struggling to afford the basics. Don't miss the move: Subscribe to TheStreet's free daily newsletter Dollar Tree then decided to add in some items that were priced higher, at either $3 or $5. Since those made up only a small portion of the store and were generally better-quality items than many of the $1.25 goods, this wasn't a huge deal. Unfortunately, however, widespread price increases will be happening again, with many current items about to cost $1.50 instead of $1.25. Shoppers need to be aware that prices are rising, and must be sure to note this red flag, which suggests a particular item will soon jump in price. If you are in a Dollar Tree and you see an item that has a red sticker on it, you need to be aware that this red sticker is actually a red flag of a price increase coming to that particular item. Numerous shoppers have reported seeing Dollar Tree employees covering up the existing prices on specific items with red stickers. This included things like knives, spatulas, home goods, cleaning gloves, and reading glasses. Related: Dollar Tree's new pricing strategy sparks customer fury Items adorned with the new red sticker were still ringing up at $1.25 for some shoppers. However, according to Business Insider, a Dollar Tree employee said items with red tags would soon ring up at $1.50. The stickers are an attempt on the part of store employees to get things ready for the upcoming price change to $1.50, which will be applied to many products in the store. In fact, some TikTok users said they saw signs hanging up in their Dollar Tree stores that expressly stated any item with a red sticker would now cost $1.50 instead of $1.25. Dollar Tree's red stickers are definitely something that you need to look out for when you are shopping, as you don't want to be surprised when your item rings up for more than the anticipated $1.25. Related: Costco adds strict new policy for free samples If you spot a red-stickered item now, you'll have to find out if your store has actually made the change to the higher price point already, or if it is just gettingready for the price change. You can ask a store employee to check the price so you don't pay more than expected. More Retail: Walmart CEO sounds alarm on a big problem for customersTarget makes a change that might scare Walmart, CostcoTop investor takes firm stance on troubled retail brandWalmart and Costco making major change affecting all customers As prices go up, you'll also want to make sure you are comparing Dollar Tree prices with the cost of the same items at Costco and your local grocery store, since Dollar Tree may soon no longer be the bargain it used to be. The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.