RACINE – The Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Mohican Indians said they are prepared to withhold nearly $1 million payment to the state from its casino revenues, because of another tribe’s expansion of its casino in Shawano County.
According to the Journal Times,
The Stockbridge-Munsee have said the expansion violates federal law and the Ho-Chunk casino compact with the state – and will be economically devastating to the small tribe by siphoning revenue from its lone casinote
The state Department of Administration said last fall that it believes the expansion is legal, after the Stockbridge-Munsee and Menominee tribes asked the department to block it.
Stockbridge-Munsee council president Shannon Holsey said Monday that withholding the state payment is a last resort after the tribe exhausted other avenues to resolve the dispute. Holsey signaled that the next step could be taking the matter to court.
“We hope that Gov. (Scott) Walker will heed our requests for fair compact enforcement so that this matter can be resolved without expensive and protracted litigation,” Holsey said.
Department of Administration spokesman Steve Michels reiterated the department’s contention that the Ho-Chunk are building the Wittenberg expansion lawfully, under the terms of its state compact. All 11 of Wisconsin’s federally recognized Indian tribes have compacts with the state that spell out terms by which they may conduct gambling.
For more on this casino battle, visit Journal Times.
