Opinion: Ho-Chunk off-reservation casino won't benefit state

Writer calls for rejection of Ho-Chunk Nation off-reservation casino in Beloit, Wisconsin:
The discussion of casino gambling has again heated up, as Gov. Walker considers the request to build more Indian casinos in Wisconsin. Clamoring for new Indian casinos in Kenosha and Beloit is prominent.

In a saturated market like gambling, new ventures on newly acquired land will primarily come from another tribe or community. While our leaders say that casinos create jobs, they also eliminate jobs from nearby hotels, restaurants and other local businesses. Wisconsin contends that it will get most of its gamblers from Illinois. However, the Illinois legislature is also contemplating many additional gambling venues in Illinois.

Casinos and state lotteries are the most predatory forms of revenue building, and their gain is coming at our expense. Society needs to build its future, not bet on its future. Beloit is experiencing a renaissance of economic growth and community beautification. Good paying jobs are slowly coming back.

Get the Story:
Jane DeSoto: ‘Build future, don’t bet on it’ (The Beloit Daily News 12/12)

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