Brief: Pact reached on tribal payments

Wednesday, Feb. 17, 1999 | 11:26 a.m.

Tribal members say they don't want to pay any more money.

Tribal officials said they are willing to make other concessions, but they don't want to put them in writing.

For example, they would support hiring former Milwaukee welfare recipients for new casino jobs, increase the number of black casino employees and would consider earmarking a portion of $2 million in annual local donations for central city development projects.

"There is no law that says we have to give the state, the city or the county anything," tribal attorney Jeff Crawford told the Journal Sentinel.

The state would get about $6.4 million a year under the casino expansion plan, while the city would get $3.4 million and the county $3.2 million.

The tribe wants to expand the Potawatomi Bingo Casino in Milwaukee by adding 800 slot machines and 25 blackjack tables. This is expected to double the property's casino revenue to $200 million a year.

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