Fireside Chat with Mayor Melton and industry leaders

Economic future of Gary lies in its past and present

Contributed By: The 411 News

The audacity to throw Gary’s hat in the ring to attract the Chicago Bears to northwest Indiana “has the phones ringing off the hook. People around the world are starting to look at Gary in a different light,” said Gary Mayor Eddie Melton.

It was his preamble to last night’s panel discussion during the “Gary is Open for Business” Fireside Chat held at the Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana.

Mayor Melton moderated the discussion with executives from US Steel, Hard Rock Casino, and the Gary/Chicago International Airport, major industries that help define the city’s economic path – its past, present and future.

“Since the founding of the Gary Works plant over a century ago, this company has been more than just a steel manufacturer,” Melton said. “It's been a partner in building the American middle class today.”

As the nation celebrates its 250th anniversary, US Steel has been a part of the country for 120 years, said Daniel M. Killeen, General Manager of US Steel’s Gary Works.

“This year, we're going to spend $900 million investing in this facility, on a path to spend $3.1 billion,” Killeen said. “We’re 4300-4500 strong in this region. Now, to take this capital and put it into action, we are going to need, at its height, about 1500 more people coming in, and not just in year one. It's going to take a while to spend $3.1 billion; it is going to take years and years and years.”

“Hard Rock has helped revitalize a commercial landscape as the highest grossing casino in the Midwest. The Hard Rock Casino has proven to be a dedicated corporate citizen, investing in our workforce and bringing a new level of energy,” Melton said. “Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana has quickly become a premier destination for entertainment and a powerhouse for regional job creation.”

Hard Rock’s impact goes beyond gaming, said Mike Gaudreau, Vice President of Casino Operations.

“It's a thriving entertainment experience. Last year, 75,000 people came to our concerts. In addition, we’ve done about 1.2 million covers in our five restaurants,” Gaudreau said.


Fireside Chat panel Dan Vicari, (l-r), Mike Gaudreau, Mayor Eddie Melton, Carol Tan-Helton, and Daniel Killeen

Carol Tan-Helton, the casino’s Vice President Legal & General Counsel described partnerships with educators. “We have already partnered with local educational institutions, including Gary Community Schools, Lake Ridge New Tech Schools and IU Northwest. We do have a scholarship program through the Urban League for Gary residents to attend IU Northwest.”

“And we have local entertainment every Friday and Saturday night,” Tan-Helton said. “We have free entertainment here in the casino, featuring local bands and local DJs.”

“The Gary/Chicago International Airport is a critical gateway of commerce, a key driver of our city's future growth as a hub for global logistics and general aviation. The airport connects Gary to the world, attracting major investments and expanding our footprint in the transportation industry,” Melton said.

Dan Vicari, Gary/Chicago International Airport Executive Director said, “We’ve been quiet; I think we’ve been quietly killing it since the 2015 extension of our main runway by 1900 feet.”

“The airport invested $1 million to open a customs facility in 2018. We needed at least 10 custom clearances per month to make that work; we're now averaging about 18 arrivals per month,” Vicari said. “This last month, we hit another record; we had 21.”

B Coleman Aviation and the Gary Jet Center – the airport’s fixed base operators – have invested millions, Vicari said.

A company that currently houses their 5 private jets at Midway Airport will move to Gary, Vicari said, and a business that does airplane maintenance in Michigan is relocating to Gary.

“The biggest project we've had since the runway extension is our phase one air cargo logistics facility that sits on a 55 acre campus,” Vicari said. “We are also working close with our current tenant UPS on their relocation plans to that new facility.”

Mayor Melton asked the panel, “What would you advise us as a community - how we can collectively take it to the next level?”

US Steel’s Killeen answered, “I'd say it's foundational. We know as business entities in this community, when we're growing, when we're expanding, it's going to help the tax base, and we understand how that tax base is divided.”

“I go back to the schools. I think it's about getting the schools back,” Killeen said. “It's because within schools, it is a community that builds that foundation. How we're expanding that base - that's going to get it done.”

To the audience of nearly 300 attending the fireside chat, Mayor Melton said, “This was an intentional conversation to make sure you see some of our largest employers in the region that are based here in the city of Gary. You care about the city and care about the future of this city. They also care about the future.”

“The most important part of the ‘Gary is Open for Business’ equation is you. My administration is committed to being your partner. If you have a plan, we have a path. If you have a vision, we have the space,” Mayor Melton said.

Story Posted:02/11/2026