Ho-Chunk Nation tried to work with tribes on casino project

Thursday, January 12, 2012  

The Ho-Chunk Nation tried to work with two other tribes on an off-reservation casino in Wisconsin but "it just didn't work," Vice President Dan Brown said.

The St. Croix Chippewa and the Bad River Chippewa had local support for an off-reservation casino in Beloit. But their plans were rejected by the Bush administration.

The Ho-Chunk Nation entered the picture and, at first, all three tribes appeared willing to talk. Nothing ever happened though.

"[A]t the end of the day, it just didn't work," Brown told The Beloit Daily News. "They were in New York, we were in L.A."

The Ho-Chunk Nation is now moving forward on its own. The tribe negotiated an intergovernmental agreement with Beloit for a 70,000-square-foot casino with a 300-room hotel.

Get the Story:
Ho-Chunk plans for casino with up to 2,000 employees (The Beloit Daily News 1/12)
Citizens react with support, some reservations to plans (The Beloit Daily News 1/12)
Ho-Chunk details Beloit casino plan (The Janesville Gazette 1/11)

Related Stories:
Ho-Chunk Nation outlines plans for an off-reservation casino (1/11)
Editorial: Ho-Chunk Nation off-reservation casino a good idea (1/9)
Ho-Chunk Nation to discuss off-reservation casino next week (1/6)
Ho-Chunk Nation negotiates off-reservation casino agreement (1/5)