In a letter to Assistant Secretary of Interior for Indian Affairs Kevin Washburn, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker recently requested a six-month extension regarding the Menominee tribe’s proposed 0 million Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Kenosha. Menominee Chairwoman Laurie Boivin co-signed Walker’s letter.
Without the extension, Walker would have until August 23 to make a decision; that’s the one-year anniversary of the Bureau of Indian Affairs’ approval of the Menominee application. If the extension is granted the new deadline would be February 19, 2015—past the November elections; Walker is running for re-election.
In his letter, Walker wrote, “In this instance, additional time beyond the one-year period is necessary to develop and analyze independent data, and facilitate discussions with the interested parties.” Added Wisconsin Department of Administration Secretary Mike Huebsch, “Given this project’s complexity and its potential impact on many areas of the state, we need additional time to obtain a thorough, independent economic analysis.”
Officials for the Menominee tribe and Hard Rock released a joint statement stating, “The Menominee-Hard Rock team believes the ultimate analysis will demonstrate that the Kenosha casino will provide significant benefits to the state” and help the Menominee tribe along the “path to self-determination.”
Walker’s administration has ordered an independent analysis of the economic impact of the proposed casino and entertainment complex that the tribe has said will create 5,000 direct and indirect jobs. The Forest County Potawatomi tribe, which runs a successful casino in Milwaukee and strongly opposes the Menominee project, said the Kenosha casino will cost the Milwaukee area 3,000 jobs.
Joe Zepecki, a spokesman for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mary Burke said of Walker, “Now that he’s facing an opponent in Mary Burke with a proven track record of creating jobs it’s clear he is trying to save face.” Zepecki said Walker’s extension request “is simply another example of Walker playing politics rather than focusing on the needs of the people of Wisconsin.”
