When Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana opened to the public in May, 2021, I was one of the first people to check out what was described by critics as a $300 million gamble in Gary.
It’s been anything but a risk for the Hard Rock brand, known for its cafes, hotels, music memorabilia, dining experiences and performance venues.
“I just wanted to look around,” Venessa Hosea-Jones told me that day. “I don’t gamble much, but I had to come back home and see this new casino.”
I felt the same way as Hosea-Jones who, like me, is a Gary native. We stood in line together while entering the entertainment complex in the Black Oak section of the city.
