Artist's rendering of the proposed Menominee Nation off-reservation casino. Image from Casino Kenosha
The voters in Wisconsin have spoken and Gov. Scott Walker (R) will serve another term in office. But a big question remains. Will Walker approve the Menominee Nation off-reservation casino? Rep. Samantha Kerkman (R), whose district includes the site of the $810 million casino in Kenosha, remains confident that Walker will say yes. She puts the chances at "85, 90 percent." "[T]here is a small chance he'll say no," Kerkman told WDJT-TV. The Bureau of Indian Affairs approved the Menominee Nation casino in August 2013 under the two-part determination provisions of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. The law gives Walker veto authority over the project. Walker originally planned to announce a decision in October 2013. Instead he commissioned an economic, legal and policy analysis and started talks with the Forest County Potawatomi Tribe, whose Class III gaming compact includes provisions that address a potential competitor. The Kenosha site is only 40 miles from the Potawatomi Hotel & Casino in Milwaukee. The BIA has given Walker until February 2015 to respond to the two-part determination. Since IGRA became law in 1988, only three tribes have opened casinos after successfully completing both steps of the process -- the Forest County Potawatomi Tribe is one. Get the Story:
What will Walker win mean for Milwaukee? (WDJT 11/5) Bureau of Indian Affairs Documents:
Press Release | Fact Sheet: Menominee Nation Decision | Section 20 Determination: Menominee Nation Off-Reservation Casino
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