Tribe negotiates with town to turn old track into casino

Thursday, July 13, 2000 | 9:15 a.m.

The Post-Crescent of Appleton, quoting sources it described as close to the talks, said tribal and local officials were 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.

Lambie confirmed reports that negotiations are under way between the tribe and Buffalo, N.Y.-based, Delaware North Companies Inc., owners of the track, the newspaper said.

Lambie said the city wants to obtain an option to buy the track and then sell it to the tribe.

He said the company is interested in the proposal, but no sale price has been discussed.

Lambie declined to discuss how much money a deal with the tribe could provide in tax relief, the newspaper said.

Last month the Lac du Flambeau rejected Ashwaubenon in Brown County as a site, fearing the village would not follow the results of a scheduled referendum.

Tribal spokesman Dick Matty told the newspaper the tribe has discussed the proposed casino with Kaukauna but said no agreement has been struck.

He said the tribe also is talking with other communities in the state, including the Brown County towns of Lawrence, Hobart and Howard.