Opinion: Menominee Nation casino is about the bigger picture

First, it was two weeks ago, then sometime last week, now it’s a couple of months at best: the self-imposed deadlines for the Menominee Kenosha Casino debacle, set by Gov. Scott Walker, keep on changing.

Here’s why:

The decision doesn’t really need a deadline. The casino proposal is up in the air. A part of me thinks he is pushing it back because he realizes the benefits of another casino in the state. The rise in employment it’ll bring, as well as the revenue streams it could create can’t be discounted.

The harsh reality is there is no way the Potawatomi or Ho-Chunk tribes will give their approval and, without an unanimous yes, there is no way the casino will be built.

By continually pushing the deadline back, Walker hopes that an offering from the Menominee tribe will be enough to spark the interests of the unbudging Potawatomi and Ho-Chunk tribes. The area is ripe for competition, and the fears that either casino will lose revenue are unfounded.

The big problem is that the Menominee have little left to offer.