Carol Johnson, Southern Indiana Business Report
FRENCH LICK – The new Terre Haute Casino Resort will potentially draw 10% of the French Lick Resort’s casino business when it opens April 5.
The Resort’s leadership, however, is confident that the Orange County destination with its historic hotels and nationally ranked golf courses will remain a top visitor destination.
“We have much more to offer and that’s our focus,” said Chuck Franz, CEO of the French Lick Resort.
Franz said the casino could “see a little dip” in gaming revenue, but he told a gathering of stakeholders Monday at the French Lick Springs Hotel that he expects 2024 to be a strong year for the Resort. The casino is a generator of tax revenue in the county. A portion of gaming tax revenue is distributed to local towns and entities.
The casino’s total gaming tax paid in 2023 was $5,321,513. In December, the Resort casino’s adjusted gross revenue (AGR) was $7,085,608, which was a 20.64% increase from November.
Franz outlined several new projects nearing completion that will add to the resort’s amenities. In addition, the culmination of the Korn Ferry Tour in October and sold-out April 8 eclipse will bring thousands to the area.
Sand Creek Course
A new 9-hole golf course that can be played with two clubs, is under construction with completion expected in May. The holes are short – 35 to 75 yards – and can be played in an hour. Located near the Exhibition Hall and the railroad tracks, Sand Creek Course gives golfers of all abilities a new option.
“This is going to be a tremendous feature to our golf offerings,” Franz said. “Families can play this very easily. You don’t need to carry clubs. All you carry is a putter and a wedge.”
Eventually, the course will be lit; there will be music and room for a food truck on site.
Korn Ferry, golf bookings
The championship of the Korn Ferry Tour will be played Oct. 3-6 at the Pete Dye. The Korn Ferry Tour is made up of emerging golfers trying to qualify for the PGA. The top 30 players receive their PGA cards at the championship.
Previously played in Evansville, the Korn Ferry has a five-year commitment to play at the Pete Dye.
Between spectators and players, it’s estimated that 12,000 to 15,000 people will visit French Lick during the tournament.
Good Good Golf, a group of young golfers with a large following on YouTube and social media, will return to play golf at the Resort in June.
Overall, the resort’s Pete Dye Course and the Donald Ross continue to bring more visitors to the Resort.
The growth of golf “is off the charts,” Franz told the group. “Bookings for 2024 are 50% up right now over this time last year,” he said.
Both courses are ranked in the top 100 of best courses to play.
Klondike, housing
Construction of new homes in the Klondike subdivision will begin in June/July. The 30-home development is the result of a private-public partnership between Cook Group, the town of French Lick and the state of Indiana.
The town received $1.5 million in READI funds from the state and $1 million from the French Lick Redevelopment Commission to extend the town’s infrastructure to the location, which sits atop a ridge the Resort already owned.
Each house will be built for about $175,000. Franz said the project wouldn’t be feasible without the state and local funds.
The homes will be offered to Orange County residents who work in the county through a lottery system.
Cook Group previously built 12 homes in West Baden Springs as part of a workforce housing development. Franz said Cook Group is also looking to build homes in Orleans and Paoli.
Concerts, solar eclipse
The Resort is sold out for the weekend leading up to the April 8 solar eclipse. The eclipse will cover a swath of southern Indiana and is expected to bring 400,000 or more people to the state. The resort is expecting upwards of 5,000 to 6,000 guests, but the total crowd size could be much larger depending on eclipse viewers that come to observe the eclipse in Orange County. All of Orange County has planned viewing activities, including at the Resort, Paoli Peaks, Visit French Lick-West Baden and Orleans.
Concerts in the Exhibition Hall are another segment the Resort is focusing on. The Resort has hosted two concerts this year with a goal of hosting 10 total in 2024. Remaining concerts TBA.
West Baden dome, East Park
Franz also provided an update of work in progress.
Repairs continue on the dome of the West Baden Springs Hotel, which was damaged by hail in June 2023. Work is expected to be completed April 30.
Restoration work will also commence on other hotel properties that sustained hail damage.
East Park, which is adjacent to the West Baden Springs Hotel, is getting a lot of attention. Trails that had been covered up were restored and a baseball diamond was put back. In 2024, vintage baseball teams will play games on three weekends.
Three pickleball courts are also open for play.
A renovation continues of the Bowling and Billiards Pavilion. A wall is under construction to protect the pavilion from flooding. A wing is being added, which will restore the building to its original design. With a completion date of Labor Day 2024, the pavilion will have six bowling lanes and billiard tables.
Work also continues on the Stables, an event barn located about a mile from the West Baden Springs Hotel parking lot.