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Editorial: Forest County Potawatomi Tribe ups ante in casino feud

The Potawatomi are right to pressure Walker to make a decision. He should have decided by now — he should reject the Kenosha project. Wisconsin doesn't need another casino, especially when there is so much evidence that the new operation will harm existing ones.

The decision to withhold payment stems from compact agreements negotiated by former Gov. Jim Doyle several years ago. These deals included clauses requiring the state to reimburse some tribes for losses resulting from new competitors, which could add up to tens of millions of dollars in payments to the Potawatomi and Ho-Chunk tribes.

The Potawatomi compact calls for a panel of arbitrators to decide how the tribe would be reimbursed, a process that is under way, sources tell Journal Sentinel reporters.

The Kenosha casino project has vowed to reimburse tribes that can verify they lost money because of the new gaming operation, and the Menominee tribe, which has proposed the casino, contend the state might not have to cover any losses.

But, as one source told reporters, "It's clear as mud."

That means there is plenty of reason for skepticism.

If the Potawatomi and Ho-Chunk can be made whole with revenue from a new casino, that's one thing. If they can only be made whole by reduced payments to the state, that's another matter.