A city council in Wisconsin recently approved a deal with the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin to move forward with the Tribe’s casino project, according to a Wisconsin Public Radio local report. The Kenosha City Council approved the agreement by an 11 to 6 vote.
Though the Kenosha City Council has given the Tribe the green light, Kenosha County has not yet approved an agreement.
Plans for the casino also need to be approved by the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs and the governor.
The Menominee said they hope to have all the approvals needed for the casino by the end of 2025.
The Tribe, in partnership with Hard Rock International (HRI), plan to build a casino, hotel and an entertainment venue west of Kenosha’s Interstate 94 on a 60-acre site.
However, this is not the first time the Tribe has moved to bring a casino to the area. During 2015, the Tribe’s proposed project was rejected by the state’s former Governor Scott Walker.
During the city council meeting, Menominee Kenosha Gaming Authority Vice Chairperson Gary Besaw shared potential benefits he believes will come from the Kenosha casino.
He said that the Hard Rock Kenosha project could boost the Tribe’s incoming revenue by 1o times, money that the community could use to improve its roads, build schools and construct other facility geared to helping the elderly and youth.
Hard Rock representative Loren Gill went on to explain during the meeting that the casino would support the community by partnering with law enforcement and would use its technology to address crime concerns.
He told local news, "We have some of the most high-tech facial recognition, license plate readers and crime deterrent features possible in any industry.
"We have thousands of cameras, but — most importantly — we partner with city, county, state and federal agencies to make sure we do our absolute best with regards to taking care of the community."
