For the first time publicly, in an exclusive interview with WANE 15, New Haven Mayor Steve McMichael shared his thoughts on, and fought back criticism of, the plans to bring a casino from southern Indiana to the southeast corner of U.S. 30 and I-469.

McMichael said he was approached in May by Full House Resorts about bringing the casino to New Haven and was skeptical.

“The easy thing for me to do would have been to say, ‘no,’” he told WANE 15.