Wisconsin casino plan gets favorable review

Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2001 | 9:58 a.m.

The BIA regional office in Minneapolis sent the second part of the tribe's application for a casino at the Dairyland Greyhound Park in Kenosha to the U.S. Department of the Interior Friday.

The first part of the application, an environmental assessment of the proposed site and buildings, was sent Dec. 22.

Interior Department officials must agree with the recommendation before the governor considers the plan for final approval.

The tribe was working against a Dec. 31 deadline, when county and city agreements on the casino expired. But officials can vote to extend the agreements.

Several residents who oppose the casino project urged county officials at a meeting Tuesday to study the proposal carefully before voting to extend their agreement with the tribe.

"I want to urge the county board to proceed deliberately and openly," said the Rev. Duane Anderson of the Baptist Tabernacle. "There are a lot of things that are up in the air here. Why is the county rushing?"

Catherine Tenuta called the plan incomplete and said she worried a casino would hurt businesses.

It "will not be an economic boon, but an economic drain," she said.

The timeline for the casino is further complicated by Gov. Tommy Thompson's expected departure to take a cabinet post in the administration of President-elect George W. Bush.

Thompson has said he will not oppose the casino if it receives local and federal approval. But his expected successor, Lt. Gov. Scott McCallum, has been an outspoken opponent of expanded gambling in the state.

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On the Net:

Bureau of Indian Affairs: http://www.doi.gov/bureau-indian-affairs.html