(IGA)
Opinion by John Dalton, A Special to Kenosha County Eye
After nearly 20 years since the last casino was proposed to be built on the shuttered Dairyland Greyhound Dog Track with more than 220 acres, the City and County of Kenosha are now rushing to jam through two separate Intergovernmental Agreements (referred to as IGA’s) without any meaningful discussions with the public or elected officials and allow 60 acres of prime real estate along I-94 to be placed in Indian Trust and create a permanent reservation for the Menominee Tribe so they can build a 100,000 square foot box with 1,500 slot machines and 55 gaming tables and a massive parking lot for over 2,300 cars.
That’s it.
Here are photographs of the Hard Rock “box” that open in 2021 in Gary, Indiana and it is anticipated that the same warehouse will be built in Kenosha.
The proposed IGAs that the City and County are trying to rush through without the normal reviews by committees and hearings is at best, bad governance, or at worst, is this the Chicago Way moving north?
The number of Indian Reservation Casinos has exploded in the area over the past 20 years and there are now nearly 20 Indian Off-Reservation Casinos within an hour or so drive of Kenosha. The competition for casino revenue is at an all time high in our market but the government leaders do not appear to have hired any experts to figure out if this casino makes any sense or if it can generate the kind revenue that the Menominee and Seminole tribes are forecasting….or is this this just a great sales job by the tribes?
Any project of this magnitude that would be presented to any government body for approval would require an economic impact analysis, traffic impact analysis, a set of site, building, landscape and drainage plans, a developer’s agreement and an entire host of other related materials to evaluate such a large scale project. None of that has been presented or analyzed based on the materials that were made public less than 48 hours before council discusses the approval of this casino. Worse, the Menominee Tribe has the discretion to establish the design standards for traffic, drainage and other development requirements as the city has turned over that authority to the tribe.
How does anyone know if the traffic at this new location can support this project, or does even the economics of this deal make sense? 20 years ago, experts were hired by the government to evaluate all of this and they determined the economic impact and how to best protect the community and structure the deal. None of that was done now, so why the rush this approval now?
20 years ago, the IGA required the casino a guaranteed payment of $1 Million in each of the first 2 years. Today, the casino only has to pay $100,000 in the first 2 years. In contrast, real estate taxes on property worth $15 Million (the price the Casino is paying for the land) would be nearly $400,000. Why is the city giving the casino a huge tax break during the first two years? Moreover, all of us are keenly aware that $1 Million 20 years ago is not the same today given the crazy inflation we have been experiencing. So, why is the government giving this handout?
Moreover, the IGA does not require the casino to building anything more than a big warehouse for all of these slot machines and gaming tables. It gives the casino the option to build a theater and make other improvements on the property but only if the casino can obtain financing on reasonable terms. If interest rates and costs of construction continue to skyrocket, it is likely that nothing more will ever be built but this ugly warehouse and massive parking lot. Dairyland 2.0 come to mind?
If the casino makes a lot of money, the tribe will obviously continue to build but then how will that impact all of the hotels and restaurants that will have to compete with an Indian casino that pays no real estate and no sales taxes?
The IGA from 20 years ago required the casino to pay $500,000 each year to the KUSD and $500,000 to high school districts west of I-94. Now, the city will receive only $250,000 (and the western school district gets nothing) and the city gets determine where to spend the money for education. Sorry, KUSD & Central High School. Better start begging now.
In addition, 20 years ago, the casino would immediately pay $5,000,000 to support museums, the homeless, and other charitable purposes, but now they only have agreed to pay $500,000 per year after 3 years and only until year 12 for the same purposes. The House wins again.
The City and County are rushing through these IGA’s and giving up the right to force the Menominee Tribe to bring the entire development to the table after it has been thoroughly examined and presented. Let the public see it all, then vote it up or down. That would be transparent government. Instead, this is now the Chicago Way North.
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27 Responses
Lack of transparency. Typical of the current Kenosha leadership.
I think it will be good for kenosha
30% increase in local crime. More human trafficking. Just what the families of Kenosha need.
Hard Yes! I’d love a Hard Rock Casino here. Better than all the bars around here. I don’t drink.
It is sad that our elected officials are not requiring due diligence. Minimally require a structure that is asthetically pleasing and is not another “concrete” box. Are they being held to the same standards as Uline? Pritzger military myseum? Will the grounds be as well maintained as Uline? Current employers can’t find labor to staff essential jobs, why is it thought bringing in an “addictive” business would help the community? Yes, gambling is addictive, the revenue , winnings are not shared with the community..as a reservation, they won’t pay taxes. So. . .Where is the “win” for K-town? Transparency is needed.
Not everyone that gambles is addicted. There are resources available for people with problems. Should we get rid of all the bars and liquor stores by your smart logic there?
Hey Mr. Logic, his point was much bigger than that and he only briefly mentioned addiction in passing.
Kenosha attracts enough scum being located between Milwaukee and Chicago. I think this casino would just attract more scum and more trouble!!
Once the land is Indian possession our elected officials will have no say so.
It becomes sovereign Indian land
Just like the pilgrims took it from the natives?
And who did the natives take it from? All of their origin stories talk about the people that were there before them. I guess we better give the ancient aliens their land back.
The natives murdered each other & stole it from each other in tribal warfare. Now our moron Kenosha natives want to set up a violent crime magnet Casino….
Wow!!! I can’t believe that uneducated racist answer!!!
What amount the cost for police etc. Does not sound like a good business decision for the people of Kenosha.
The police are for it because they have been promised cushy side hustle $ for working there….
Not true AT ALL!!!
Interesting that none of the environmental wackos are raising a stink about the lack of 5-10 years of “normal” environmental studies that always need to be done.
Typical liberal hypocrites.
They pick and choose their battles.
Crook County North. The Mayor of Kenosha must be emulating Gary, Indiana.
Our elected officials are uneducated morons, trying to import trash developments while ruining our quality of life. The police are in on it because they have been promised cushy side job $$, so they don’t care about a 30% increase in crime & trafficking. We have corrupt, trashy government who focuses on trucking warehouses, dollar stores, currency exchanges, vape shops, bars & now a Casino. Where the heck is KABA? Why would we invite this corrupt garbage into Kenosha?
This is what happens when we keep putting desperate tax and spend liberals in charge of the city, they would sell their children and their souls for anything that will bring in more money for them to immediately spend 110% of. Wouldn’t make any difference if it was a million or a dollar, but by having to go through an Indian tribe, all Kenosha will get is jump change anyway. It’s like all the promises Colorado made about marijuana income, and they end up with a less than projected income and higher than projected social cost.
I’m in favor. People in this town are way too narrow minded. The entertainment factor alone is good for the city. Now we in Kenosha won’t have to go to Shitcago or Milwaukee to see acts. Let’s finally get this done and maybe reap some rewards of something that will attract the entertainment.
The City of Kenosha will have a new, giant theatre downtown for big acts. We don’t need to import crime & trash the community with a Casino because people don’t want to drive 40 minutes.
And just like that people like koerri and other people trying to be relevant are using this as their political pawn. No one cares about anyone in this damn town. Remember during election who said what, during the Jacob Albright incident, to this now. What a joke
Whether you agree with this decision or not the issue I see is that it’s being rammed threw without any impact studied or public input. That property is worth much more than that. I smell a shady under the table deal with someone pocketing money with no concerns for the people who live in the area. But the sheeple keep blindly voting Democratic. You got just what you voted for.
I havent heard anything good comes out of casino. What about all the neighborhoods nearby to the proposed Casino. How many of us would like our kids and the next generation growing next to gambling spot. Yes there is help for gambling, and addiction and lots of other stuff. How much that has successfully reduced any of it
The Hard Rock Hotel and Casino is Tampa is pretty nice. But the staff’s pay is very low and the work requirements are very high. Bringing a Casino alone to Kenosha will not bring in any real jobs or careers. It will increase traffic, thus increasing accidents, etc. Additional people bring additional problems. People can drive 20 some minutes more north and get a casino or 20 minutes south for other betting.
If this is more than slots and table games you might have something, but without it you have nothing.
I am sorry the Mayor of Kenosha supported this casino. He deserves credit for doing much for downtown Kenosha and the lakefront with the museums and parks, but he has been so wrong on this one. There is a rumor that he likes to go to casinos and I have no idea if that is true or not, but his position on this sullies some of the previous work and since he is retiring soon, won’t be held responsible when the damages to family lives of the surrounding cities occur. We have many low-income people in Kenosha County and the city and county do a lot to help them, but didn’t he realize that some will take the little cash they have to try to increase it by luck? And how few will succeed and in the end perhaps, try to drown the loss by drinking or drugs. I’m sorry mayor but a mayor should be an advocate for only positive development. I do not believe this development in the end will benefit anyone in Kenosha, the poor, the police or the unions and especially the families.