Casino giant Caesars Entertainment is threatening to drop plans for building a new on-land casino in southern Indiana while arguing it shouldn't be forced to pay a $50 million state fee for acquiring two horse track casinos near Indianapolis.
Las Vegas-based Caesars announced in November it would pay $1.7 billion to buy Hoosier Park in Anderson and Indiana Grand near Shelbyville.
The Indianapolis Business Journal reports Caesars argues the state fee for transferring those casino licenses shouldn't apply and has told the Indiana Gaming Commission it's reconsidering a $90 million project for building an on-land casino to replace the riverboat at its Horseshoe Southern Indiana casino near Louisville, Kentucky.
The gaming commission could discuss the fee issue in May or June, when it is expected to review the Caesars-Centaur deal.
