$stalker Two Wisconsin tribes who want to open an off-reservation casino have moved closer to their goal.

The Bad River and St. Croix bands of Chippewa have proposed a $200 million casino in Beloit, near the Illinois border. Their project has local support and has been at the Bureau of Indian Affairs regional office since 2003.

The BIA office has just given its approval but the final decision rests with political appointees in Washington, D.C. The application is being processed as a two-part determination under Section 20 of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.

If the BIA approves, the state governor must concur before the casino can be built. Other tribes in Wisconsin have voiced opposition to off-reservation gaming projects.

Get the Story:
Big step for casino (The Beloit Daily News 1/8)
Regional News Briefs: Beloit casino gets Bureau of Indian Affairs approval [first item] (The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel 1/9)