Last December, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker’s administration signed a contract to pay the Dykema Gossett law firm 0,000 to research the impact of the Menominee Tribe’s proposed 0 million casino in Kenosha, which would be financed and managed by Hard Rock International. But a recently released amended contract indicated the new cost of the report will be .5 million.
Department of Administration Secretary Mike Huebsch said the amended contract with Dykema “reflects the complexity of both the Kenosha casino proposal and its economic impact on Wisconsin.” He added the higher price “ensures we will be able to provide accurate, relevant information about the viability of this project to Governor Walker in a timely manner.”
Dykema recently hired California consultant Nathan Associates Inc. to help review various claims about the impact the Kenosha casino would have on the overall economy, the job market and existing Indian casinos. The Forest County Potawatomi and Ho-Chunk tribes oppose the Kenosha casino. Nathan’s fees are expected to exceed the original $140,000 estimate.
Last August the U.S. Department of Interior approved the Menominee casino proposal, but under federal law Walker has the sole authority to approve or veto the off-reservation casino. Walker said he would decide the issue last year but recently asked the Department of Interior to extend the August 2014 deadline by six months, which would push it beyond the November gubernatorial election in which Walker is being challenged by Democrat Mary Burke.
Walker also would have to approve a casino proposed by the Lac du Flambeau tribe and the city of Shullsburg. The two parties recently signed two agreements to build a casino, hotel, event center, campground and sportsman’s club. The federal Bureau of Indian Affairs also would have to sign off on the proposal.
