KENOSHA – After hours of contentious debate, the Kenosha County Board voted early Wednesday morning by a slim 10-9 count to approve a proposed Hard Rock casino.
The vote occurred around 1:15am, and was prefaced by a lengthy conversation on the pros and cons of the roughly 360 million dollar proposal.
“My concern is, as a clinician, the ripple effect of gambling-use disorder and the impact that it has on families.” said Kenosha resident Veronica King.
“Gambling produces weakness, dependency, and addiction” added fellow community member John Ingberg. “It fractures families, and it makes us dependent and weak.”
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Kenosha Common Council approves plans for Hard Rock casino, constituents share thoughts
“What’s on the agenda is an inter-governmental agreement…we’re not asking if you think casinos are good or bad.” countered Secretary of the Menominee Tribal Legislature Spencer Gauthier. “We’re extending our hand forward in partnership, we don’t want anyone hurt by this. We want everyone to feel comfortable with what’s going forward.”
The next step for the proposal is consideration by the US Bureau of Indian Affairs; a previous casino proposal in the area was rejected by then-Governor Scott Walker after the BIA nixed a deal between the Potawatomi and the state that would have established the financial terms for reimbursement.
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