The proposed Kenosha Hard Rock Hotel and Casino has taken an important step forward. Leaders of the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin plus city and county officials have signed intergovernmental agreements addressing municipal services, contributions to local projects and casino revenue-sharing.
Now the federal government and Governor Tony Evers must approve the project. A tribal spokesman said the Menominee are planning to submit an initial federal application to the Bureau of Indian Affairs in the next few months.
“We are proud to partner with the elected leaders of Kenosha to move forward with the proposed Kenosha Hard Rock Hotel and Casino,” said Menominee Tribe Chairman Gena Kakkak. “The Menominee believe that to be good for our tribe, the project must be good for the community, and these agreements help make sure that is the case. We look forward to working together to continue advancing this project on the federal and state levels.”
Kakkak added, “You know, signing this adds a lot of pressure. We are signing for the hopes and dreams of my grandchildren. We are ranked lowest in health care in the state of Wisconsin. We are one of the poorest tribes in Wisconsin. This would benefit our health outcomes and being able to take care of our elderly, providing quality education opportunities for our Menominee kids.”
Previously, Menominee Chairman Ronald J. Corn, Sr. told BizTimes Milwaukee the project probably will be approved in one to two years. According to Kenosha County Executive Samantha Kerkman, “This project is a major positive for Kenosha County and it will yield many benefits, including more than 1,000 new jobs and a $360 million private sector investment in our community.”
The Hard Rock casino would be built on a 60-acre site just west of Interstate 94 in Kenosha. It would feature a gaming floor with 1,500 slots, more than 50 table games and a sportsbook, plus a Hard Rock Cafe, six restaurants, a Hard Rock Live entertainment venue and a 150-room Hard Rock Hotel. The tribe projects the development would attract 2.4 million guests annually, and provide economic growth and financial support to the city, county and tribe.
Evers hasn’t expressed an opinion about the proposed casino. At a recent meeting in Kenosha, he was asked whether he’d made up his mind about it. He replied, “I can’t talk about that. I probably could but I’m not going to. My role in that is way at the end. We will see what happens.” The governor would have one year to sign off on the casino, plus a 6-month extension.
In 2015, then-Governor Scott Walker rejected a Hard Rock complex at a different Kenosha location. He said the state could lose $250 million a month in revenue because of the state’s agreement with the Potawatomi Tribe, operators of a Milwaukee casino.
Menominee Kenosha Gaming Authority Chairman Joey Awonohopay remembered, “There was a lot of heartache and a lot of heartburn.” Now, he said, “We’re feeling optimistic with this project.”
The Potawatomi Tribe, among others, oppose the proposed Kenosha casino.
