Chippewa band finally finding some casino support

Thursday, Aug. 3, 2000 | 10:44 a.m.

At least two communities and one county are warm to the tribe's multimillion dollar project.

The board in the Brown County Town of Lawrence is the latest to vote on continuing negotiations with the Lac du Flambeau. After the majority of more than 200 people showed support at a town forum Wednesday night, board members decided to proceed with tribal discussions.

"I don't see anything wrong with this," said resident Pete Vande Hei. "I've been in the town for 48 years. I'm all for this thing."

The Lac du Flambeau tribe has proposed a $49 million hotel/casino development that could bring $2 million a year in tax revenue to the town, Lawrence Chairman Tom Perock said.

About 15 acres would be removed from the tax rolls, including six or seven acres for a casino along with room to expand.

The tribe said it would pay $92.7 million, split evenly between the town and Brown County, over 20 years. The tribe also would pay $50,000 a year for 20 years to the Lawrence Volunteer Fire Department. After 20 years the contract would be renegotiated, Perock said.

If the town and the tribe do reach an agreement, the proposal still would have to be approved by Brown County, the state and the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs.

The Lac du Flambeau band is also negotiating with two other entities, including Lafayette County and Kaukauna.

Faced with a drop in tax revenue and a budget deficit, the Lafayette County Board this week passed a resolution inviting the Lac du Flambeau to build a casino.

"We've got a chance to get out of a hole," Supervisor Kenneth Taylor said. "Let's think of the kids. What debt are we leaving, or are we bailing them out?"

The county anticipates losing $500,000 in property tax revenue next year due to a change in the way the state assesses farmland.

The Lac du Flambeau and Kaukauna officials are discussing possibly converting a greyhound park into a casino.

The Post-Crescent of Appleton has reported the two sides are negotiating to turn the former Fox Valley Greyhound Park into a casino, hotel and water park complex.

The complex could provide more than $100 million over an undisclosed number of years to the city and Outagamie County, the newspaper said.

"The financial impact in property tax relief would be awesome," Kaukauna Mayor John Lambie told the newspaper.

The Lac du Flambeau's casino plans have been rejected in Ashwaubenon, De Pere, Johnson Creek, Belgium, Sheboygan, Port Washington, Waukesha, St. Francis, Mukwonago, Belgium, New Berlin, Columbus, Manitowoc and Exeter.