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Minnesota Tribal Casino Refiles Campaign Costs

MINNESOTA – As reported by the Minnesota Star Tribune: "Mystic Lake Casino officials said Monday that its lobbyists will file amended documents with the state about the cost of an advertising campaign it waged to thwart plans for a state-sponsored casino.

"The move is in response to a complaint filed with the state's campaign finance board.

"The Shakopee Mdewakanton Dakota, owners of Mystic Lake in Prior Lake, ran TV and radio commercials in recent months designed to defeat efforts by Gov. Tim Pawlenty to build a Twin Cities casino with another Indian band that would send profits to the state.

"But documents filed last week by Shakopee Mdewakanton lobbyists said that the band had spent no money on media advertising between Jan. 1 and May 31.

"…In contrast, the Prairie Island Dakota, owners of Treasure Island Casino in Red Wing, which also waged an extensive media campaign during the same time, and one of its lobbyists reported last week that its ad campaign cost $346,000.

"…But Shakopee lobbyist Andrew Kozak attributed the failure to an 'oversight, or confusion about who does it.' He said each of the band's six lobbyists may have thought that one of the others was reporting the media costs…"

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