The process will take years but the Ho-Chunk Nation of Wisconsin is seeing movement on its off-reservation casino application.
The tribe wants to build a casino in Beloit. As part of the process, the Bureau of Indian Affairs is holding a public scoping meeting next week in preparation of an environmental impact statement. "This is a good sign. It means the application is actively being processed by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and this is a part of the processing requirement," John Groh, the president of the Rockford Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, told WIFR. Rockford is in Illinois, about 19 miles from Beloit and the Wisconsin border. Officials in Rockford supported a non-Indian commercial casino but the bill was vetoed by Gov. Pat Quinn (D). The Ho-Chunk Nation casino, if approved by the BIA, will require approval by the Wisconsin governor. Get the Story: