Mayor Eddie D. Melton Ignites a New Era of Growth In Gary, Indiana with Historic U.S. Steel–Nippon Partnership

GARY, IN, UNITED STATES, June 11, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Home to America’s largest steel plant, Gary, Indiana, just 25 miles from downtown Chicago, is experiencing a powerful industrial and economic revival as global investment reshapes the city’s future under the fearless and focused leadership of Mayor Eddie D. Melton.

Since taking office in January 2024, Mayor Melton has begun writing a bold new chapter for the city. He has made it clear: Gary will no longer be overlooked. The future is now, and it’s being built right in Gary, the proud home of the largest U.S. Steel mill in America, U.S. Steel Corporation Gary Works.

In a landmark announcement on May 23, President Donald Trump confirmed that U.S. Steel will remain American-owned, and its new partnership with Japan-based Nippon Steel will bring significant investment across the country, with Gary, Indiana, at its center. The $14 billion investment deal is expected to create 70,000 jobs nationwide, with a significant economic impact that will flow into Gary.

“This has been a long time coming,” said Mayor Melton. “I facilitated conversations with Nippon Steel and talks with mayors in steel-making cities and towns from around the country. I spent months conducting due diligence and listening to the concerns of steelworkers, union leadership, and members of the Congressional Black Caucus … I stuck to my guns even when others opposed this deal because I knew it was good for our citizens.”

But this is just one chapter in Mayor Melton’s larger story of transformation.

In just one year, the “City of Heart and Soul,” once home to entertainment icons Michael, Janet, The Jacksons, and Deniece Williams, has already seen:
• A $100 million convention center and hotel project was approved near the Hard Rock Casino, promising hundreds of new jobs and economic growth
• A new FedEx distribution center, delivering 600 jobs to local residents
• Alliance Steel’s $22 million expansion, adding 60 jobs
• Infrastructure renewal, including the repair of 2,000 streetlights and widespread road improvements
• Increased public safety hiring, with new police and fire recruits joining the ranks
• Center for Workforce Innovation training program in HAZMAT and more

“We are investing in our people, from our youth to our seniors,” said Mayor Melton. “Our Literacy Task Force, Age-Friendly initiatives, and brand-new shelters for men, women, and children are about meeting our residents where they are and lifting them higher.”

Mayor Melton is also driving long-term revitalization through:
• A partnership with the University of Notre Dame to revitalize downtown, update zoning and infill housing design
• A new Tolleston Opportunity Campus, this is a collaboration between the YMCA, Boys and Girls Clubs and Methodist Hospitals focused on community wellness programming and family friendly activities
• Blight elimination in the Aetna neighborhood, setting the tone for transformation.

“It took Gary 50 to 60 years to get to this point—it’s not going to happen overnight. But, with strong leadership, community partnerships, and a vision that puts residents first, the City of Gary is charting a new course forward,” said Mayor Melton. “We’re working for the people. And to the critics and naysayers: we will let our progress speak for itself, and let God fight our battles.”

Gary, Indiana is on the move. The world is watching—and this city is not looking back.

About Gary, Indiana
The City of Gary, Indiana—steeped in a rich legacy of industry, resilience, and musical culture, is located in Lake County, just 25 miles southeast of downtown Chicago. Nestled along the southern shore of Lake Michigan, Gary is home to U.S. Steel’s Gary Works, the largest steel production facility in North America. Once a manufacturing powerhouse, Gary is now experiencing a bold and dynamic resurgence under new leadership, driven by strategic investments in infrastructure, industry, housing, and community development.

Guided by a mission to thoughtfully grow as a safe, thriving community, Gary is committed to improving the quality of life for every resident through transparent, efficient, and fiscally responsible leadership. Its vision is to build a vibrant and sustainable urban environment that paves the way for a prosperous future. Gary, Indiana is dedicated to serving the diverse needs of its growing community with integrity, service, excellence, responsiveness, vision, and empathy.

About Mayor Eddie D. Melton
Eddie D. Melton is the 22nd Mayor of the City of Gary, Indiana. Born and raised in Gary, he is a proud graduate of Gary Public Schools. He earned an athletic scholarship to play quarterback at Kentucky State University, where he studied business management and joined Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity. After graduating, Mayor Melton returned to Gary and later earned a degree in organizational management from Calumet College of St. Joseph.

He has held leadership positions at the Legacy Foundation and NIPSCO and served as chairman of the Indiana Commission on the Social Status of Black Males and the Indiana State Board of Education. In 2015, and he is in the Bloomberg Center for Cities at Harvard University’s Program for New Mayors.

In 2016, Melton was elected State Senator for Indiana’s 3rd District and re-elected in 2020. In 2023, he won the Democratic nomination for Mayor and assumed office on January 1, 2024. Mayor Melton lives in Gary with his wife, Crystal, and their four children.

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