Casino boss treated Gov. Holcomb to private flights with lucrative gambling deal on the line
An Indiana casino magnate last year treated Gov. Eric Holcomb to two private-jet flights and directed six-figure sums to Holcombs biggest 2016 campaign donor, all while pushing for big changes to the state's gaming laws that would benefit his new business.
Rod Ratcliff, chairman and CEO of Spectacle Entertainment, flew Holcomb to meetings in Aspen, Colorado, and Scottsdale, Arizona, in July and November, respectively, that were hosted by the source of that campaign money, the Republican Governors Association.
The flights, one of which tax records show cost about $20,000, gave Ratcliff and his business partners hours of exclusive access to the governor, who will have final say over their plans to move two Gary casinos to more lucrative locations.
One of the flights was just a day before Ratcliff announced plans to acquire those two casinos.
Read more: https://www.indystar.com/story/news/politics/2019/03/28/indiana-casino-boss-treated-gov-eric-holcomb-to-private-flights/3166074002/