Gaming News

Milwaukee Considers Moving Casino

MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin – As reported by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: "Acting Mayor Marvin Pratt and County Executive Scott Walker on Thursday announced an initiative to determine whether the Potawatomi Bingo Casino should move downtown, an idea tribal leaders greeted cautiously.

"While acknowledging some steep hurdles would have to be cleared for such a move, advocates said it would fuel a surge in downtown development and spending and create thousands of new jobs. It may also spur an expansion of the Midwest Airlines Center and downtown hotels, according to six neighborhood and business groups calling for the review.

"…Pratt called the tribe a valued corporate citizen and said moving the casino from its Menomonee Valley location would build on the momentum of other recent downtown development efforts.

"Potawatomi tribal attorney Jeff Crawford said the tribe would be open to considering the move - later.

"…There are some other major concerns for the tribe. First, moving the casino would require federal approval for declaring the new casino site federal trust land, something that's been done rarely and a process that could take years.

"Second, the tribe's current casino in the Menomonee Valley opened in late 2000 and was built at a cost of over $120 million. Finding a buyer for that property could be difficult if the tribe wanted to move downtown…"

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