Wisconsin governor eyes more time on Menominee Nation casino

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

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) is seeking more time to review the Menominee Nation off-reservation casino.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs approved the $800 million casino in Kenosha under the two-part determination provisions of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act in August 2013. The law gives Walker up to a year for to concur or reject the project.

Walker is asking the BIA for a six-month extension. If granted, that would push his decision until March 2015, well after the upcoming election cycle.

"Additional time beyond the one-year period is necessary to develop and analyze independent data, and facilitate discussions with the interested parties," Walker said in a letter to the BIA.

The Menominee Nation supports the extension -- Chairwoman Laurie Boivin signed onto the letter. The tribe has local support for the casino, which is seen as an economic development engine for the entire region.

"The Menominee and Hard Rock team continues to work with Governor Scott Walker and Secretary Mike Huebsch to bring the decision-making process to a logical conclusion – approval for the Kenosha casino project," the tribe said in a statement.

Walker previously said he would make a decision in late October after setting out what appeared to be some very difficult criteria for the tribe. He initially said all tribes in the state must agree, an impossible condition to meet because the Forest County Potawatomi Community and the Ho-Chunk Nation oppose the casino.

Walker now appears to be focusing mainly on economic criteria for the project.