KENOSHA, Wis. — A group opposed to expanded gambling is urging government officials to revisit the economic assumptions behind the proposed $400 million Hard Rock Hotel and Casino project in Kenosha County, arguing that major market changes since the original studies were completed have weakened the case for the development.
In a press release issued Wednesday, Citizens Against Expanded Gambling said the project’s supporting economic analysis is now more than two years old and fails to account for significant developments in the regional gaming industry. Among the changes cited by the group are the expansion plans recently announced at Hard Rock Casino Rockford, the opening of Ho-Chunk Gaming Beloit, and Wisconsin’s legalization of tribal online sports betting.
The organization argues that the Rockford expansion, which includes a new hotel and convention center, will compete directly for the same southeastern Wisconsin and northern Illinois customers that Hard Rock Kenosha hopes to attract. The group also contends that expanded online sports betting opportunities further increase gambling access and competition throughout the region.
Citizens Against Expanded Gambling pointed to recent reporting that questioned whether the market can absorb another major gaming destination after several new competitive projects entered the region in recent years. According to the group, the federal environmental review largely focused on land-use and ecological impacts while relying on economic demand models developed before the Beloit casino entered the market and before the Rockford expansion was announced.
“The Kenosha proposal was presented as a unique economic opportunity for southeastern Wisconsin,” said Lorri Pickens, spokesperson for Citizens Against Expanded Gambling. “However, the Rockford and Beloit developments includes many of the same features and target markets, and with online sports betting now legalized for tribes, serious doubt exists about whether the Kenosha project can deliver the jobs, tourism, and revenue projections used to justify the application.”
The group is calling on federal, state, and local officials to require a new environmental and economic assessment before any further action is taken on the proposed casino project. According to the organization, the existing review no longer reflects current market conditions and should be updated before major decisions are made regarding the development.
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5 Responses
Just say NO to gambling!
Build another hospital
bet it all on black
Kenosha has enough issues without a casino and our pieces-of-shit liberal judges don’t believe in law and order. That’s a good enough reason in its own.
No one in favor of a casino can be trusted. I remember when the lottery credit was supposed to provide a major reduction to our property taxes. That referendum only passed because people believed the hype. What did we get for it? Indian casinos, a failed dog track and a state lottery with enough extra profit to advertise instead of increasing the miniscule tax credit.