Ho-Chunk Nation sees support for off-reservation casino

Thursday, December 13, 2018  

The Ho-Chunk Nation continues to enjoy local support for a proposed off-reservation casino in Wisconsin.

Almost all of the speakers at a public hearing on Tuesday voiced support for the $405 million development, according to news reports. The tribe is planning to build the casino in Beloit.

“This is what we thought it would be," Collin Price, a public relations officer for tribe, told The Janesville Gazette. "We’ve had a lot of support from business owners, residents, organizations through the years, and that’s what we saw today.”

The Bureau of Indian Affairs hosted the hearing as part of the environmental impact statement for the casino. Written comments are being accepted until December 24.

The BIA would still need to issue a final environmental impact statement before making a decision on the project. But since the tribe is pursuing the casino under the two-part determination provisions of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, approval from the state of Wisconsin is also needed.

Governor-elect Tony Evers, a Democrat, has previously promised to approve the project. He will be sworn into office in January 7, 2019.

Beloit, which lies near the Wisconsin border with Illinois, is about 170 miles from Ho-Chunk headquarters in Black River Falls. The tribe maintains a governmental office and operates a gaming facility in Madison, about 49 miles away.

The gaming site in Beloit about 0.5 miles from the Illinois border.

Proposed Beloit casino earns support at public hearing (The Janesville Gazette December 12, 2018)
Hearing completes key step in casino plan (The Beloit Daily News December 12, 2018)
Beloit residents show up mostly in favor of proposed Ho-Chunk casino (WISC December 11, 2018)
Public weighs economic impact of proposed Beloit casino (WKOW December 11, 2018)
Public, city leaders voice opinion on proposed Beloit casino (WIFR December 11, 2018)
Beloit edges closer to casino as city leaders, Ho-Chunk Nation hold public forum (MyStateLine.Com December 11, 2018)
Beloit Casino Progress Puts Pressure on Illinois Lawmakers (MyStateLine.Com December 11, 2018)
Rockford leaders watch closely as Beloit casino continues to move forward (WREX December 11, 2018)

Notice of Availability of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Ho-Chunk Nation Fee-to-Trust and Casino Project, City of Beloit, Rock County, Wisconsin (November 9, 2018)
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Ho-Chunk Nation Beloit Casino Project, City of Beloit, Rock County, WI (November 26, 2012)

Public hearings set for two off-reservation casinos in Midwest (December 10, 2018)
Ho-Chunk Nation prepares for public hearing on casino project (November 19, 2018)
Ho-Chunk Nation takes step forward with off-reservation casino (November 12, 2018)
Ho-Chunk Nation still waiting for movement on off-reservation casino (April 24, 2018)
Candidate vows to approve Ho-Chunk Nation off-reservation casino (February 8, 2018)
Ho-Chunk Nation still waiting for action on off-reservation casino (February 6, 2018)
Ho-Chunk Nation committed to off-reservation casino despite uncertainty in Trump era (December 19, 2017)
Ho-Chunk Nation sees support from Congress in bid for off-reservation casino (September 25, 2017)
Ho-Chunk Nation outlines optimistic schedule for stalled off-reservation casino (August 9, 2017)
Ho-Chunk Nation sees more support for off-reservation casino in Wisconsin (July 21, 2017)
Ho-Chunk Nation remains hopeful for off-reservation casino in Wisconsin (July 19, 2017)
Ho-Chunk Nation still pushing off-reservation casino in Wisconsin (January 3, 2017)