Kenosha City Council approves $360 million Hard Rock Tribal Casino
The Kenosha City Council on Wednesday night approved a $360 million tribal casino being developed by the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin in partnership with Hard Rock International of Florida, an affiliate of the Seminole Tribe.
The Kenosha City Council voted 11-6 to sell 60 acres of city-owned land, formerly the Dairyland Greyhound Racetrack, to Menominee. The property is located west of Interstate 94 at 60th Street. The purchase price was $15 million.
There are no venues locally large enough to host large events for hundreds of people, so we not only offer gaming here but all the amenities that come with it. ” Menominee spokesperson Joey Awonohopay told the City Council.
The project, tentatively called Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Kenosha, will feature 1,500 slot machines, 55 gaming tables and a Hard Rock Bet sportsbook on the casino floor. The 150-room hotel will feature seven restaurants, including a Hard Rock Café, a 2,000-seat Hard Rock Live concert venue and a gift shop.
Project requires further approval
The Kenosha Common Council’s support for the Menominee Casino Project — which would add a second casino to the tribe’s economic portfolio, currently located at the Menominee Casino Resort in Keshner — comes amid a lengthy approval process The first step in the process. Next, the project needs support from the Kenosha County Board of Supervisors. The county is expected to vote on the tribal casino later this month.
If the county follows the city's lead and supports the gambling plan, the tribe would have to petition the federal government to transfer the land into a federal trust and designate the property as sovereign territory. The tribe must prove historical ties to the area before the U.S. Interior Department's Bureau of Indian Affairs can designate the 60 acres as tribal land.
If the process for that to happen could take months, the final step for the Menominee family would be to extend their Tier 3 contract with the state to a second casino. In 2015, then-Gov. Scott Walker (right) refuses to grant tribal nations the right to operate Las Vegas-style slot machines and table games in Kenosha. The Menominee family previously unveiled a larger, $800 million casino project.
Governor More Open to Casinos
The Menominee Indian Tribe and Hard Rock are betting that current Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers (D) will be more open to Kenosha casinos than Walker. Evers succeeded Walker in January 2019.
I have approved casinos in the past. I believe the tribal nations of Wisconsin have the right to do this. I have approved sports betting,” Evers said in July 2022.
However, local opponents say the Hard Rock Casino would have a negative impact on Kenosha. They believe it will lower home values and increase crime and financial problems.
“Why don’t we challenge our elected officials and ask ourselves, ‘Are there other ways to find other companies doing union jobs?’ Why do we have to rely on something that is addictive and has negative consequences for union jobs? “Why can’t we do that for our communities?” Find anything positive? asked John Bush of Citizens Against Expanded Gambling.
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Source: www.casino.org
