Sec. 4.5. (a) Subject to section 4.6 of this chapter, a person holding an owner's license under section 1(a)(1) of this chapter may move gaming operations to an inland casino within Gary only if the licensed owner:

(1) pays twenty million dollars ($20,000,000) to the commission as described in subsection (e);

(2) submits to the commission before January 1, 2020, with agreement from the legislative body of the city of Gary, a request for approval to relocate the licensed owner's gaming operations;

(3) complies with all applicable building codes and any safety requirements imposed by the commission;

(4) submits to the commission a plan for complying with IC 4-33-14 in the construction and conduct of the licensed owner's gaming operations at an inland location; and

(5) submits to the commission a plan for complying with subsection (h) regarding transferring existing employees to an inland location and hiring and training new employees for an inland location.

(b) The commission shall prescribe the form of the request for approval to relocate the licensed owner's gaming operations under this section.

(c) When considering a request to relocate a riverboat under this section, the commission shall consider:

(1) economic benefits;

(2) tax revenue;

(3) the number of new jobs;

(4) whether the owner plans an investment of at least one hundred fifty million dollars ($150,000,000) for the relocation, with sixty-five percent (65%) of the owner's proposed investment for the development of a casino, and thirty-five percent (35%) of the owner's proposed investment for the development of nongaming amenities; and

(5) any other issue deemed appropriate by the commission.

(d) Upon the commission's approval of the request to relocate, the licensed owner shall relinquish one (1) owner's license issued under section 1(a)(1) of this chapter. The commission may impose any additional requirement on a licensed owner relocating gaming operations under this section.

(e) The payment required by subsection (a)(1) must be paid to the commission in five (5) annual payments of equal amounts. The first payment required by this section is due on the day that the commission approves the request to relocate. The four (4) remaining annual payments are each due on the anniversary date of the first payment.

(f) In addition to the payment required by subsection (a)(1), if the licensed owner:

(1) relocates the licensed owner's gaming operations under this section; and

(2) sells or otherwise transfers the licensed owner's interest in the owner's license within five (5) years from the date the relocation is approved by the commission;

the licensed owner shall pay an additional fee of twenty million dollars ($20,000,000) before the sale or transfer of the license may be approved by the commission.

(g) The commission shall collect and deposit the payment required by subsection (a)(1) and any payment required by subsection (f) in the state general fund.

(h) The licensed owner of a riverboat relocated under this section is subject to the following employment goals:

(1) Each employee employed at the riverboat shall be offered a similar position at the inland location.

(2) The licensed owner shall consider hiring and training individuals who have been laid off from the riverboat operating in East Chicago before considering other applicants for similar job openings.

As added by P.L.293-2019, SEC.13.