Artist's rendering of the proposed Menominee Nation off-reservation casino. Image from Casino Kenosha
The Menominee Nation of Wisconsin is hoping an off-reservation casino will improve the lives of its people. The reservation suffers from high rates of poverty and unemployment. "We just struggle with even providing the basic services for our people," Chairwoman Laurie Boivin told WDJT-TV. The $810 million casino in Kenosha could change all that. The facility would provide jobs and revenues to the tribe even though the site is about 160 miles from the reservation. The Forest County Potawatomi Community has seen similar benefits from its off-reservation casino in Milwaukee. But the tribe fears the Kenosha project -- it's only 40 miles away -- would reverse those gains. "We built up our infrastructure and we are no longer relying on handouts from the local government or state government," Jeff Crawford, the tribe's attorney general, told WDJT. The Bureau of Indian Affairs approved the Kenosha casino in August 2013 under the two-part determination provisions of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. The law gives final say to Gov. Scott Walker (R), who has indicated he will wait until February 2015 to make a decision. Get the Story:
Kenosha Casino: Clash Between Tribes (WDJT 11/11) Bureau of Indian Affairs Documents:
Press Release | Fact Sheet: Menominee Nation Decision | Section 20 Determination: Menominee Nation Off-Reservation Casino Related Stories:
No decision soon on Menominee Nation off-reservation casino (11/7)
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