Anything But Conventional

“ This convention center represents more than just a building; it is a transformative vision for our community. Our goal is to create a landmark that serves as a catalyst for economic development but also reflects the unique heritage and aspirations of the people of Gary and Lake County. ”

“ Hard Rock’s proven track record in hospitality and entertainment complements the City’s vision of revitalization, creating a partnership that brings both experience and a shared commitment to regional prosperity. ”

"I support the [Gary-Hard Rock] Proposal, as we believe that the [City of Gary] is the best home for a Lake County Convention Center to benefit the entire region. It is our position that the strong partnership between the City and Hard Rock presents the best opportunity for Lake County to become home to a well-run convention center that will bring about opportunities for all surrounding municipalities, Lake County businesses, residents, and organizations throughout the region."

"The selection of the City of Gary as the site for this convention center is not only a prudent economic decision but also a necessary investment in the future growth and sustainability of Lake County as a whole. Gary’s strategic geographic location, infrastructure capacity, and established partnership with Hard Rock Northern Indiana present the most viable path to ensuring the success of this development."

“The Hard Rock Corporation International is ideally suited as a corporate partner because they have an excellent model in the hospitality industry across the country. They are very supportive in contracting local trades and small and minority-owned businesses for services, which is a major plus for Northwest Indiana.”

“We believe that the City [of Gary] is the best home for a Lake County Convention Center to benefit the entire region. It is our position that the Hard Rock, which was all union built, presents the best opportunity for Lake County to become home to a well-run convention center that will bring about opportunities for all surrounding municipalities, Lake County businesses, residents, and organizations like ours.”

"Our Northwest Indiana Making Strides Breast Cancer Walk has partnered with the Hard Rock for the past four years. We have found them to be a strong, wise and excellent partner with a high priority for service and support of the local community. The Hard Rock will be an excellent partner in this endeavor."

"By building the Lake County Convention Center at the Hard Rock Casino, we see tremendous potential for the City of Gary to prosper, creating jobs, economic growth, and an environment that fosters further educational and career opportunities for students who earn their degrees. As a college committed to supporting the success of our students and community, we are excited about the positive impact this project will have on the future of our students and graduates. We believe that this Proposal will help make the City of Gary and Lake County an even more vibrant and prosperous place for generations to come."

“With the support of the Central Midwest Carpenters, we are confident this project will generate many more career opportunities, providing stability and growth for our members, their families, and friends throughout Lake County.”

"Disabled American Veterans Chapter 17, supports the [Gary-Hard Rock] Proposal, as we believe that the City [of Gary] is the best home for a Lake County Convention Center to benefit the entire region. It is our position that the strong partnership between the City and Hard Rock presents the best opportunity for Lake County to become home to a well-run convention center that will bring about opportunities for all surrounding municipalities, Lake County businesses, residents, and organizations like ours."

"We are delighted for the partnership of the City of Gary and Hard Rock Northern Indiana to provide funding for our students to attend the college of their choice to further their education. Our Board of Directors look forward to hosting many events at the future Lake County Convention Center."

"The convention center provides an excellent venue for hosting health-related events, workshops, and educational conferences that can promote wellness and healthy living among our residents. We envision opportunities for collaboration with the casino and convention center to engage the community in health outreach programs and health fairs, ultimately improving access to vital health resources."

"We have witnessed firsthand what a fantastic operator Hard Rock Casino is through our Football Fest event hosted by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The team at Hard Rock is attentive, thoughtful, solution-oriented and followed through on their promises to make our annual event an exceptional experience for our fans and advertising partners. We look forward to collaborating with Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana and other key stakeholders to support and promote events at the convention center. Whether through live events, on-site coverage, or strategic partnerships, ESPN Chicago is committed to playing an active role in ensuring the success of this venue."

"The Gary Chamber of Commerce supports the [Gary-Hard Rock] Proposal, as we believe that the City [of Gary] is the best home for a Lake County Convention Center to benefit the entire region."

"We believe that Gary is the best location for this amazing endeavor and will present great opportunities for not only our school community, but regionites and those who venture here from other places. Moreover, the strong partnership between the City of Gary and Hard Rock sets the stage for an economic boost would be a collective win for Northwest Indiana."

"With Hard Rock already bringing in thousands of visitors, the convention center is only going to add to that. This isn’t just about Gary; this is about all of Northwest Indiana. More visitors mean more business, tourism, and dollars flowing into the entire region. Restaurants, hotels, and local businesses in surrounding cities will benefit from the increased traffic. When Gary grows, everyone grows. The time is now. The momentum is here. Let’s make history."

"As a locally based business, Gary Material Supply has long been committed to supporting the economic growth and revitalization of the City of Gary. We recognize the substantial impact this project will have on the community, bringing increased tourism, expanding job opportunities, and fostering business growth across multiple industries, including hospitality, construction, and local services."

"We are excited to see this long-awaited project of a Convention Center finally come to fruition. We believe this Proposal will generate millions of dollars into the local economy, as well as bring scores of visitors to our area and our local businesses. As an organization representing local businesses primarily located in the neighboring communities to this site, we welcome the opportunity to market and serve the excellent local products and services that our Chamber members provide, to the visitors of the Convention Center."

"Northwest Indiana is primed for growth, and our close proximity to Chicago, Michigan, and Indianapolis makes this an ideal destination for economic revitalization and tourism. A convention center in Gary, Indiana would enhance regional collaboration and strengthen the economic fabric of our communities."

"Humane Indiana has long been a supporter of Gary, Indiana residents regarding the well-being of companion pets and their owners. Being able to utilize this convention center for our own events will allow Humane Indiana to continue this important work."

"Our experiences with [the City of Gary and Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana] have always shown their deep commitments to serving those populations that are most in need. Their abilities and willingness to work in partnership with our communities is exemplary. There is no doubt of their capacity to operate a first-class convention center, rivaling the best practices found across our country. We would have the full advantage of the Hard Rock corporate mission and resources of providing the very best in terms of customer impact and experience. Their commitment to the communities where they live and work is widely known and respected as being at the very top in terms of industry leadership."

“The success of Hard Rock since it opened its doors just over three years ago is a testament to the potential the [City of Gary/Hard Rock] proposal presents.”

"A new convention center would not only bring hundreds, if not thousands, of new construction jobs to NW Indiana, but it would also provide new employment opportunities for hundreds of job seekers in the hospitality industry. We also firmly believe a venue like this, that could provide a forum for quality-of-life factors like art galleries, dance recitals, music performances and more, would make Lake County even more attractive to future employers and new Lake County residents."

"The American Legion, Department of IN, 1st District, supports the [Gary-Hard Rock] Proposal, as we believe that the [City of Gary] is the best home for a Lake County Convention Center to benefit the entire region. It is our position that the strong partnership between the City and Hard Rock presents the best opportunity for Lake County to become home to a well-run convention center that will bring about opportunities for all surrounding municipalities, Lake County businesses, residents, and organizations like ours."

“It is our position that the strong partnership between City of Gary and Hard Rock presents the best opportunity for Lake County to become home to a well-run convention center that will bring about opportunities for the surrounding municipalities, Lake County businesses, resident and community organizations.”

"We strongly believe that Gary is the ideal home for this convention center. The city's rich history, strategic location, and deep-rooted cultural assets make it a natural choice for a facility of this caliber. The partnership between the City of Gary and Hard Rock ensures a well-managed, world-class convention center that will create meaningful opportunities for local businesses, residents, and organizations like ours."

"We have found as a chamber, that Hard Rock Casino also has visionary leadership, an essential ingredient in their success and their ability to make the convention center successful. The impact, reputation, and vision exhibited by Hard Rock Casino makes it an obvious site for a convention center. It is also the closest site to Chicago, which is a crucial factor if the convention center is going to be able to draw conventions and conferences."