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JULY 14, 2000

Opponents of a casino planned by three Wisconsin tribes presented Governor Tommy Thompson on Thursday with a petition of 4,822 adult residents of the Hudson School District.

The Lac Courte Oreilles, Red Cliff and Mole Lake Ojibwe bands received tentative support in June from 18 townships and villages to support a casino in Hudson. The tribes would give the municipalities $25 million over nine years.

The tribes also recently reached an agreement with Hudson, who agreed to drop all appearances of objection to the proposal. Their objection led the Department of Interior in 1995 to reject the tribe's proposal.

The tribes also won a legal battle in the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals. The court ruled that the St. Croix Ojibwe cannot interfere in the other bands' proposal.

Despite all their victories and agreements, the three tribes have to deal with the local opposition the petition represents. Even after the settlement with the Hudson, city officials, including the mayor whose signature appears on the petition, have voiced negative opinions about the plan.

The governor has ultimate approval, even if the Interior approves the plan. He is on the record as being opposed to off-reservation gaming particularly if there is considerable local opposition.

In response to the petition, Thompson said it "has a great deal of impact. There has to be local support for me to approve the casino."

Get the Story:
Wisconsin governor presented with petition opposing casino in Hudson (The Minneapolis Star Tribune 7/14)