Media Contact:
Michael Beightol
312.339.0055
mbeightol@coyotemarsh.com
Craig Corn, Chairman of the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin, today released the following statement about how the Kenosha Casino project fulfilled Governor Walker’s criteria for consensus from all Wisconsin tribes.
“We believe that based on a common sense definition of consensus, as well as plain reading of the existing gaming compacts, we meet the Governor’s definition for consensus from all Wisconsin Indian Tribes.
“Eight tribes gave direct consent. Two tribes gave consent via compacts signed years ago that protects them when a casino opens in Kenosha. The Menominee’s compact (section 32c, Provisions for Kenosha) has specifically contemplated gaming at the Dairyland Greyhound Track since 2000.
“The two richest tribes in Wisconsin, the Forest County Potawatomi and the Ho-Chunk Nation, chose not to publicly support us though Menominee offered generous business relationships multiple times, including being our partner in the Kenosha casino as developer/manager. Despite their refusal to help a fellow tribe it is clear that, in fact, these tribes gave consensus support when they signed their compacts.
“The Ho-Chunk consent is found in Paragraph 16 of the 2003 amendments to its compact that sets up a specific process for the State and Ho-Chunk to go through, the result of which is an agreement on how a new off-reservation facility will effect Ho-Chunk, and how Ho-Chunk will be protected from harm.
“If the Potawatomi wanted to veto a Kenosha Casino, they should have provided for that in their Compact. But in fact, they did not. For the Forest County Potawatomi, Paragraph 6 of the 2005 amendments to its compact sets up a specific process for the State and Potawatomi to go through, the result of which is an agreement through the Potawatomi compact on how Menominee’s Kenosha Casino will effect Potawatomi, and how Potawatomi will be protected from harm. This provision was specifically intended to allow the Governor to approve the Kenosha Casino. Potawatomi has a separate provision in Paragraph 13 of the 2005 amendment that provides them with a veto over any off-reservation facility within 30 miles of their Milwaukee facility, but not the site of the Dairyland Greyhound Track, 35 miles from Potawatomi Bingo Casino.
“We noted that this week the Governor talked about Ho-Chunk plans for a casino in Beloit. He said that the obligations made by the State in compacts may modify his criteria on off-reservation gaming. The Menominee compact, as well as Ho-Chunk and Potawatomi compact provisions cited above are just such compact obligations. A determination that consensus has not been met would be directly contrary to those compact provisions.
“When other tribes talk about the compact provision as ‘insurance’ we say it’s because they knew all along that a Kenosha Casino may open; these two tribes signed compacts that give them assurances that potential financial impacts are addressed, including compensation for losses.
“This notion on consensus is nothing new; it’s just how you interpret it. In Michigan the compacts require all tribes to approve of off-reservation casinos and to work out profit-sharing agreements among themselves. If the Michigan law were applied here, the money that the Potawatomi has made in the past two decades at its off-reservation casino in Milwaukee would have been shared with the state’s ten other tribes.
“We ask that the Governor follow through on the commitments previously made through the compacts. His approval will bring an $800 million investment to the State of Wisconsin that adds 5,000 jobs in his first term. If he fails to approve the Kenosha project some may say it is because he agrees that the tribes with the most lucrative casinos should decide the fate of the poorest tribe in Wisconsin.
“The Menominee are grateful for the support we received from eight tribes that have publicly approved our efforts through a letter of support and tribal resolutions, including Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, Lac Court Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, Oneida Tribe of Indians, Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, St. Croix Chippewa Indians, Sokaogon Mole Lake Community and Stockbridge Munsee Community.”
