The Menominee tribe’s plans to build a casino at Kenosha have, once again, been thrown into doubt by the state’s Government. California Governor Tony Evers had a spokesperson make it clear that he was ‘noncommittal’ towards the planned Hard Rock casino in Kenosha.
Previously, it seemed that Evers had given the green light for the development, encompassing a 60-acre parcel of land to go ahead. However, Evers' spokesperson now says they would give ‘due consideration’ to any proposals by the Menominee tribe, but that they had not been presented with a specific plan for the casino.
Evers' office also states that it has not had conclusive conversations with Hard Rock International about the purchase of land from Bristol Village. It has made it clear there are still plenty of hurdles to clear before the project is allowed to go ahead.
These key steps include a "significant” environmental review and approval from the US Department of Interior to use the land for a casino.
The purchase of land for casino development has already occurred, on Tuesday the Bristol Village board voted unanimously to sell land the village owned in the City of Kenosha. Hard Rock International paid the village $15.2m in exchange for nearly 60 acres of land.
Evers' spokesperson commented: “The announcement by the Menominee and Hard Rock is just the first step in a long process. If a Kenosha casino proposal eventually makes its way to the Governor’s desk, he would not make a decision until he had consulted with the local communities affected and the relevant Native American tribes.”
The Menominee tribe is relaunching efforts to open an entertainment center and casino in Kenosha, an idea that was quashed in 2015 by former Governor Scott Walker.
