The hotel at the Potawatomi Hotel & Casino in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Photo from thisisemilyida / Instagram
The Forest County Potawatomi Tribe and the state of Wisconsin have entered compact arbitration talks, Gov. Scott Walker (R) said. The Class III compact sets up an arbitration process when disputes arise. The tribe has suspended revenue sharing payments with the state out of concern Walker will approve the proposed Menominee Nation off-reservation casino. “Right now they’ve got the upper hand because they’ve got a compact that Gov. Doyle gave them," Walker told The Kenosha News, referring to the agreement signed by one of his predecessors. "It’s not something I can trump. It’s not something I can go to court to.”
Artist's rendering of the proposed Menominee Nation off-reservation casino. Image from Casino Kenosha
The Menominees want to build an $800 million casino in Kenosha. The site is only 40 miles from the Potawatomi casino in Milwaukee. A 2005 amendment to the Potawatomi compact requires the tribe and the state to enter into an arbitration process in the event of another casino "more than 30 miles and within 50 miles" of the Milwaukee casino. Get the Story:
Governor says tribal compact is sticking point with Kenosha casino (The Kenosha News 9/11) An Opinion:
Steve Lund: Back and forth between the state and the Potawatomi (The Kenosha News 9/11) Bureau of Indian Affairs Documents:
Press Release | Fact Sheet: Menominee Nation Decision | Section 20 Determination: Menominee Nation Off-Reservation Casino
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