Kaukauna casino has long way to go before reaching governor’s desk, official says

Thursday, Sept. 28, 2000 | 8:52 a.m.

The tribe hopes to build the casino at the abandoned Fox Valley Greyhound Park, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs must first decide to move off-reservation land into trust for the tribe, Lightbourn said Wednesday. The BIA will then bring the proposal back to the state for approval.

Lightbourn called any Thompson stance on the casino premature

"It won't be on our desks for several months, depending on what the BIA does," he said. "It's a long journey between then and now."

The board approved the resolution Tuesday, clearing the way for an agreement between the Lac du Flambeau band of Chippewa Indians and the city of Kaukauna to build the complex.

Thompson has said before he will sign any new casino deals tribes must have an indication of public support. Tribes with more than one reservation casino also must agree to close one in exchange for building a complex off-reservation, Lightbourn said.

Thompson may waive that requirement for the Lac du Flambeau, which operates only one reservation casino, Lightbourn said.

He said the land-trust issue is fairly new. Only two tribal casinos exist off-reservation, he said. One is the Potawatomi complex in Milwaukee. The other is in New Mexico, he said.

"This isn't a process that has been gone through a lot," he said.

The deal for the Kaukauna casino complex enters its final stages one week after the Brown County Board voted 20-4 to send a similar agreement with the town of Lawrence back to committee. Tribal officials had warned that such a delay would essentially kill the deal.

The Kaukauna proposal includes a $20 million casino, $30 million hotel and convention center and $5 million water park for the former Fox Valley Greyhound Park. A $92.5 million bonus would be split between the city and Outagamie County over 20 years.

The tribe's gaming compact with the state refers to "off-reservation casino site(s)," suggesting that more than one facility could be approved, said Dick Matty, a spokesman for the tribe.

A Lafayette County Board committee voted Wednesday against recommending a referendum on a proposed Lac du Flambeau casino at Shullsburg. The Economic Development Committee unanimously opposed sending the matter to the full board.

Board chairman Jack Sauer said he was given a letter at the last board meeting stating the governor's office had received 1,485 signatures favoring a vote on the gaming facility. But he said the board was not presented a petition with those signatures.

Sauer said he does not believe it is his place as a resident of the Darlington area to tell Shullsburg residents a casino shouldn't be built there.

Lightbourn said Thompson will not consider any plan until the tribe has narrowed their sites to one.

"The tribe needs to decide where they're most serious," Lightbourn said. "I hope we don't get to the point where one community is pitted against another."

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