Menominee Nation seeks meeting for off-reservation casino

Wednesday, January 14, 2015

Artist's rendering of the proposed Menominee Nation off-reservation casino. Image from Casino Kenosha

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The Menominee Nation wants to meet with Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) to discuss plans its off-reservation casino.

The tribe believes Walker can approve the $800 million casino in Kenosha now that the Bureau of Indian Affairs has said the state isn't responsible for any losses incurred by the Forest County Potawatomi Community. But Walker has said he won't make a decision until a February 19 deadline.

“As we review BIA’s decision, we will continue to gather information about the overall economic and financial impact of the proposed Kenosha casino. Moving forward, we will continue to have discussions and negotiations with interested parties,” a spokesperson for the Department of Administratio told The Kenosha News.

The BIA approved the Kenosha casino under the two-part determination provisions of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. The law gives Walker the final stay over the project, which enjoys strong local support.

Walker commissioned a legal, economic and policy review of the casino but hasn't released any documents from that study. As part of the process, he also negotiated Class III gaming compact with the Potawatomis that would have held the state responsible for losses from a rival casino.

Assistant Secretary Kevin Washburn, the head of the BIA, rejected the amendment. He said the provision violates the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act but the Potawatomis disagree and plan to file a lawsuit.

The Potawatomis operate the Potawatomi Hotel & Casino about 40 miles from Kenosha. The facility was the first to be approved under the two-part determination provisions of IGRA.

Get the Story:
Menominee seek talks with Walker to move casino forward (The Kenosha News 1/14)
Menominee seek Kenosha casino meeting with Gov. Walker (The Milwaukee Business Journal 1/13)

Bureau of Indian Affairs Documents:
Press Release | Fact Sheet: Menominee Nation Decision | Section 20 Determination: Menominee Nation Off-Reservation Casino Related Stories:
Forest County Potawatomi Tribe to sue BIA over gaming deal (1/13)
BIA rejects Forest County Potawatomi Tribe's gaming compact (1/12)
Editorial: Reject off-reservation casino for Menominee Nation (1/9)