A political action committee campaigning for a casino in northeast Indiana has reported raising $516,000 this year, and nearly all of it came from one person. Final pre-election campaign finance reports show $500,000 of the total — about 97 percent — came from Richard Byers, a former president of Automotive Color & Supply Corp., according to WPTA's Oct. 16 reporting on the filings.
The group, Advance Fort Wayne, has spent more than $123,000 on pro-casino advertising. Its 'Yes for Allen' campaign, which retired advertising executive Tom Borne helps lead, is backed by the Greater Fort Wayne chamber of commerce and several labor unions and has advertised on television, social media, mailers and text messages.
Voters in Allen, DeKalb and Steuben counties will answer Public Question No. 3 on Nov. 3, asking whether inland casino gambling should be permitted in their county. The referendums come from House Enrolled Act 1038, which creates one new inland casino license for one of the three counties. If a county votes yes, casino companies can apply to the Indiana Gaming Commission by Dec. 1, and the commission must pick a winner by April 15, 2027. A county that votes no cannot hold a second referendum under the law.
The winning developer would have to invest at least $500 million and owe the state $100 million for the license plus $50 million to help former casino host communities. A 2025 Gaming Commission study estimated an Allen County casino could generate $204 million in revenue and $61 million a year in state taxes. Supporters, including Fort Wayne Community Schools trustee Steve Corona, point to jobs and school revenue — the campaign estimates 5,500 temporary construction jobs and 2,000 operating jobs, figures opponents dispute. The opposition Coalition for a Better Indiana says its 'No casiNO' campaign runs on small donations, and U.S. Rep. Marlin Stutzman has also come out against the proposal.
