Source: PHOTO: Ingram Publishing/Thinkstock
STATEWIDE — Northwest Indiana could lose a major part of its history and economy, if one steel company decides to sell.
US Steel has operated in northwest Indiana for over 120 years, employing 4,500 Hoosiers in Gary at one point in time. The company is entertaining a sale, which would be a seismic impact to Indiana, says Gerry Dick with Inside Indiana Business.
“There’s a lot of, frankly, concern as to what this might bring as the steel industry continues to evolve,” Dick tells WIBC’s Tony Katz this is the latest chapter in the region’s downfall. He says much of that, in his opinion, is corruption spreading throughout cities and towns in northwest Indiana, leading to communities refusing to come together for the greater good.
Dick explains, “I think part of the issue is, part of the problem has been, there’s so many constituencies if you will – cities, towns, and others, that just frankly haven’t gotten along. They won’t get their act together.”
Dick says despite this potential loss, several businesses are making investments in northwest Indiana, and throughout the entire state, which could balance things out. There are billions of dollars being invested in the Hoosier State with electric vehicle battery plants and semiconductor chip manufacturing.
Those are just a few examples says Dick, “like Whiting or Valparaiso, and others making big investments in quality of life. That south shore rail line, they’re getting people to move from Chicago. You may work in downtown Chicago but come live in Indiana. You get lower taxes and better quality of life.”
As of this writing, US Steel has not finalized a sale.
