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Evers 'a long way from decision' on Hard Rock casino plans

The Menominee Tribe announced a partnership on Wednesday with Hard Rock International to open a casino and entertainment complex in Kenosha County.

Evers 'a long way from decision' on Hard Rock casino plans

The Menominee Tribe announced a partnership on Wednesday with Hard Rock International to open a casino and entertainment complex in Kenosha County.

LATEST AGREEMENT GETTING THE PROCESS RE-STARTED. REPORTER: ON WEDNESDAY, THE MENOMINEE TRIBE ANNOUNCING A PARTNERSHIP WITH HARD ROCK INTERNATIONAL TO OPEN A CASINO AND ENTERTAINMENT COMPLEX IN KENOSHA COUNTY. THE TARGETED SITE, THE VILLAGE OF BRISTOL, WHICH OWNS THE LAND WEST OF I-94 AND APPROVED AN OPTION AGREEMENT TO SELL IT. THE IDEA OF BRINING A NEW CASINO TO THE COUNTY HAS BEEN HEARD BEFORE. KENOSHA AND HARD ROCK, WHICH IS OWNED BY THE SEMINOLE TRIBE IN FLORIDA, PITCHED A SIMILAR DEVELOPMENT AT THE FORMER DAIRYLAND PARK SITE BUT THEN-GOVERNOR SCOTT WALKER WOULD NOT APPROVE. ON WEDNESDAY, 12 NEWS MEDIA PARTNER, BIZ TIMES MILWAUKEE, WITH NEW REPORTING ON THE EFFORT BY MENOMINEE AND HARD ROCK TO TRY AGAIN. BIZ TIMES EDITOR, ANDREW WEILAND, ON 12 NEWS AT FOUR. >> IS THIS, NOW, THE DEVELOPMENTS YOU JUST MENTIONED, FURTHER ALONG IN THE PROCESS THAN WE’VE BEEN BEFORE? >> YEAH, IT’S A SIMILAR PROJECT, SCALED DOWN IT SOUNDS LIKE. THE PROJECT WAS DEAD UNTIL NOW. NOW THEY’RE LOOKING AT A NEW SITE WEST OF I-94 AND SOUTH OF 60TH IN KENOSHA AND THEY’RE GOING TO BRING THIS PROPOSAL FORWARD AND SEE IF IT FLIES NOW. REPORTER: AND NEW TONIGHT, GOVERNOR EVERS, WEIGHING BUT STOPPING SHORT OF COMMITTING. >> I’M A LONG WAY FROM A DECISION ON THAT. OBVIOUSLY, I HAVE APPROVED A CASINO IN BELOIT, NOT TOO LONG AGO, SO I’M NOT OPPOSED TO DOING THAT BUT IT IS A LONG, LONG PROCESS AND I’M NOT ABOUT TO TAKE A POSITION AT THIS TIME. DERRICK: IN A STATEMENT, A HARD ROCK OFFICIAL SAID THE COMPANY IS SUPPORTING THE MENOMINEE TRIBE IN ITS EFFORTS. MEANWHILE, THIS IS A LONG PROCESS, WHICH INCLUDES THE NEED FOR THE GOVERNOR’S APPROVAL. WITH THE OFFICE OF GOVERNOR UP FOR ELECTION THIS YEAR, THIS PROJECT COULD BECOME ONE OF MANY CAMPAIGN ISSUES, CONSIDERING YOU COULD HAVE THE RE-ELECTION OF A DEMOCRATIC GOVERNOR OR A NEW REPUBLIC
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Evers 'a long way from decision' on Hard Rock casino plans

The Menominee Tribe announced a partnership on Wednesday with Hard Rock International to open a casino and entertainment complex in Kenosha County.

Gov. Tony Evers would not commit, Wednesday, to a specific position over the latest development to bring a casino to Kenosha County."I'm a long way from a decision on that," the governor said after an event in Grafton Wednesday night.The reaction came to the partnership announced between the Menominee Tribe and Hard Rock International to open a casino and entertainment complex in the county.The village of Bristol owns the land at the targeted site west of Interstate 94. Its leaders recently approved an option agreement to sell the land.The idea, however, is not new to Wisconsin.Kenosha and Hard Rock, which is owned by the Seminole Tribe in Florida, pitched a similar development at the former Dairyland Park location. Then-governor Scott Walker, a Republican, shot down the idea in a process that requires gubernatorial approval.12 News media partner Biz Times Milwaukee framed its reporting on the development with the headline, "Menominee Indian Tribe and Hard Rock will try again to build a casino in Kenosha". Its author and Biz Times Editor Andrew Weiland gave some insight into the outlet's reporting and outlook on 12 News at 4 Wednesday."The project was dead until now. Now they're looking at a new site west of I-94 and South of 60th in Kenosha and they're going to bring this proposal forward and see if it flies now," Weiland said."You have a new governor; you have a new presidential administration. These projects need federal and local approvals, which could take a long time. It's a similar project at a different site and we'll see, this time, if it gains approval."Evers, a Democrat, was still unwilling to support or oppose the move."Obviously, I have approved a casino in Beloit not too long ago, so I'm not opposed to doing that, but it is a long, long process and I'm not about to take a position at this time," Evers added.

Gov. Tony Evers would not commit, Wednesday, to a specific position over the latest development to bring a casino to Kenosha County.

"I'm a long way from a decision on that," the governor said after an event in Grafton Wednesday night.

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The reaction came to the partnership announced between the Menominee Tribe and Hard Rock International to open a casino and entertainment complex in the county.

The village of Bristol owns the land at the targeted site west of Interstate 94. Its leaders recently approved an option agreement to sell the land.

The idea, however, is not new to Wisconsin.

Kenosha and Hard Rock, which is owned by the Seminole Tribe in Florida, pitched a similar development at the former Dairyland Park location. Then-governor Scott Walker, a Republican, shot down the idea in a process that requires gubernatorial approval.

12 News media partner Biz Times Milwaukee framed its reporting on the development with the headline, "Menominee Indian Tribe and Hard Rock will try again to build a casino in Kenosha". Its author and Biz Times Editor Andrew Weiland gave some insight into the outlet's reporting and outlook on 12 News at 4 Wednesday.

"The project was dead until now. Now they're looking at a new site west of I-94 and South of 60th in Kenosha and they're going to bring this proposal forward and see if it flies now," Weiland said.

"You have a new governor; you have a new presidential administration. These projects need federal and local approvals, which could take a long time. It's a similar project at a different site and we'll see, this time, if it gains approval."

Evers, a Democrat, was still unwilling to support or oppose the move.

"Obviously, I have approved a casino in Beloit not too long ago, so I'm not opposed to doing that, but it is a long, long process and I'm not about to take a position at this time," Evers added.