

In 1993, when Gary was to get Indiana's first licenses for riverboat casinos, there was Trump, presenting a plan for a casino he claimed would revitalize the city's waterfront.



Due to concerns over his finances after two then-recent corporate bankruptcies, city officials initially did not recommend Trump for a license, but he didn't give up. Trump went directly to the Indiana Gaming Commission with a beefed-up proposal.



In a September 1994 presentation, Trump's team touted his "superior marketing and advertising abilities" to pitch a 340-foot long vessel called Trump Princess with more than 1,500 slot machines and enough nearby parking for 3,000 cars. Trump also said he would revamp an "eyesore" hotel near City Hall, according to a transcript.



Trump's team projected an annual take of $210 million by the fifth year the casino was operating. Gary's cut would be 1 percent of the gross gaming revenues along with other taxes, a projected haul of about $19 million annually.



To sweeten the pot, Trump's representatives said they would try to ensure that at least two-thirds of the casino's staff would be minority residents from the surrounding area, according to the transcript.



He offered to fund a new charitable foundation endowed with a 7.5 percent stake of the casino's stock, estimated by Trump's company to be worth $11.5 million. His official proposal also listed eight "local minority participants" in the project, a diverse group of men in medicine, business and law.



"When we put our name on something it's more than just recognition," Trump told the commission. "It's very important to us so we're looking for a long-term, very solid relationship."