Mayor Eddie Melton and Matt Schuffert, President of Hard Rock Northern Indiana, have announced a donation aimed at revitalising downtown Gary.
Hard Rock International will be donating $3m towards blight elimination efforts within Gary's Metro Transit Development District (TDD), with a particular focus on the downtown Broadway Corridor.
This contribution is part of a broader initiative outlined in Indiana SB 434, introduced by Mayor Melton in 2023. The legislation established a matching grant program, allowing the City of Gary to access funds for blight elimination within the Metro TDD.
The $3m donation from Hard Rock Casino aligns with this program, representing a step towards addressing urban decay in the area.
Mayor Melton commented: "This catalytic donation from Hard Rock marks a new chapter in Gary's story, one where we begin to turn the page on blight and write our future. A future in which Gary residents see real change and feel a renewed sense of pride in our downtown Broadway Corridor. With this $3m contribution, we are planting seeds of hope and growth for our downtown."
Matt Schuffert, Hard Rock Northern Indiana President, added: "Hard Rock is pleased to support Mayor Melton's mission to improve the economic development of the City of Gary by demolishing the blighted properties that currently stand in the way. Our announcement today of Hard Rock's transfer of $3m dollars to help support the City's contributions to the Northwest Indiana RDA's blighted property demolition fund confirms our mission of 'All Is One,' which has been Hard Rock's motto throughout local and global communities since 1971."
Sherri Ziller, President and CEO of the Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority (RDA) and Tai A Adkins, Gary Common Council President, were present at the announcement.
Earlier this month, Hard Rock partnered with Eva Longoria for International Women's Month, with the goal of addressing societal issues beyond its core business operations.
