The city council in Kenosha, Wisconsin voted 12 to 3 to grant preliminary approval of an intergovernmental agreement with the Menominee Indian Tribe that could lead to the construction of the $360 million Hard Rock Kenosha casino hotel. Final consideration will take place on November 20 and the Kenosha County Board will take up the issue on November 21.
The Menominee would own the casino and related facilities and Hard Rock would develop and manage the project. According to the agreement, the tribe will apply to the U.S. Department of the Interior to take the land for the casino into federal trust for gaming purposes. The project would include a 70,000-square-foot casino with 1,500 slots and 55 table games, a sportsbook, Hard Rock Café, 2,000-seat Hard Rock Live, several restaurants and a 150-room hotel.
A county analysis indicated that under the proposed revenue sharing plan, the county would receive $80 million or more over a 20-year period from net win, tribal sales taxes and annual payments. The project would create 850 construction jobs and 1,000 permanent jobs.
In addition, the Menominee Gaming Authority would make charitable contributions to the community totaling $850,000 over the first 12 years, and schools would receive $750,000 in annual payments. The tribe, one of the poorest in Wisconsin, would use gaming revenue to expand a health clinic, launch education initiatives and modernize a sawmill.
During a public hearing before the county council’s vote, several in attendance expressed concern that the casino could look like the warehouse-like casinos in nearby states. Tribal representative Joey Awonohopay said the Menominee “first and foremost” did not want to build “just a gambling facility. Our hope and our intent is to build out the entire project in the immediate phase. We want to build the entire facility in one shot immediately.”
Tribal Chair Gena Kakkak said the Hard Rock Kenosha would benefit the tribe and the community. She said, “To be good for Menominee, the project must be good for Kenosha. The Menominee believe that by working together, the city of Kenosha and the Menominee can both be successful.” She said the tribe hopes to file its application with the BIA before the end of the year and receive a decision within six months.
Besides BIA approval, Governor Tony Evers also would have to approve the casino plan. In 2004, then-Governor Scott Walker vetoed a casino although voters passed a referendum on the issue.
