The city of South Bend would receive 2 percent of the net winnings every year from a proposed Four Winds Casino on the city’s southwest side as part of an agreement with the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians.
Half of the money would go to the city’s general fund and the other would go to the South Bend Redevelopment Commission in lieu of property taxes, according to a news release from the Pokagon Band. The South Bend Common Council still needs to approve the agreement.
The funding would be no less than $1 million if the casino has between 850 and 1,699 games and will not be less than $2 million if the casino has more than 1,700 games.
The Pokagon Band would also provide about $5 million of additional funding to the following projects and organizations:
- $500,000 to the Bowman Creek Project for restoration and educational use
- $100,000 to the Boys and Girls Clubs of St. Joseph County
- $100,000 to the Food Bank of Northern Indiana
- $2,225,000 to the city of South Bend to pay for improvements at Howard Park
- $250,000 for Jobs for America’s Graduates in Indiana
- $500,000 to renovate and modernize the Newborn Intensive Care Unit at Memorial Children’s Hospital
- $500,000 to South Bend Community School Corporation
- $125,000 to YMCA Women’s Shelter of South Bend
- Up to $200,000 for landscape enhancements on Prairie Avenue
- Up to $500,000 to resurface Prairie Avenue from U.S. 31 to Locust Road
The South Bend Board of Public Works approved a separate agreement on Tuesday allowing the city to provide sewer and water services to the casino, which is planned to be located between Prairie Avenue, U.S. 31 and Locust Road in South Bend. The Pokagon Band would pay $400,000 to the city to help replace and upgrade the Calvert Street lift station as part of the sewer services.
The Pokagon Band has already approved the agreements on their end.
The casino has not yet been approved by the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
