Ho-Chunks look to open casino in La Crosse

Sunday, July 9, 2000 | 11:33 a.m.

Ho-Chunk Nation officials may present a proposal for their fourth casino in the state before the full county board as early as August, said chairman James Ehrsam.

Ehrsam and La Crosse Mayor John Medinger met with tribal officials in March, and said they were told the city and county could each gain $2 million per year if the casino located in La Crosse.

Public reception for the casino project is uncertain. Voters in 1995 overwhelmingly turned down a referendum for the Lac du Flambeau tribe to open a casino in La Crosse.

But residents may be more receptive now because of the number of casinos in the area and the loss of jobs at the former G. Heileman brewery, Ehrsam said.

"There certainly would be jobs involved. Most of the casino workers are not Native Americans. There's a chance for some jobs - good jobs because (the casino) is run by computers," Ehrsam said.

The Ho-Chunk Nation has not approached the state about locating a casino in La Crosse, said Scott Scepaniak, administrator of the Division of Gaming in the state Department of Administration.

The tribe's compact with the state allows them to operate four casinos, three of which are already operational in Baraboo, Nekoosa and Black River Falls, Scepaniak said.

The compact states a fourth location is to be determined by the state and the tribe, he said.

Under recent amendments to the compact, the Nation would need city as well as county approval for the state to discuss locating a casino within a city, Scepaniak said.