Gov. Scott Walker has addressed disagreements over a proposed Menominee casino in Kenosha by outlining the criteria the casino plan must fulfill to move past the governor and begin being implemented in the near future.
The proposal has run into trouble, primarily from the Potawatomi, which maintains that the casino does not meet the criteria that Walker has set, and would result in economic hardship for the people of the Indian tribes and the city of Milwaukee.
The criteria include “support from the community” and “no increase in gambling revenue,” according to a letter released by Walker Wednesday. The third criterion, “consensus from the 11 tribal governments” is one of the primary reasons the proposal is being held up.
The proposal has received support from Kenosha officials, but has drawn significant opposition from Milwaukee politicians.
The Potawatomi maintains its tough stance with the tribe’s Attorney General Jeff Crawford saying, “The Kenosha casino project is not supported by the entire community,” according to a Wednesday release. The tribe cites the potential loss of 3,000 jobs and $140 million in lost wages as sufficient reasons to oppose the casino. However, the same release says the Kenosha casino would collect $157.2 million in revenue from Wisconsin residents.
“The positions of all of the local communities that would be directly affected by the casino should be considered,” Crawford said.
