Beloit casino gets federal approval, heads to governor's desk
This computer-generated image shows the proposed Ho-Chunk Gaming Wisconsin casino in Beloit. The project received federal approval Thursday,.
Ho-Chunk Gaming Wisconsin
BELOITThe Ho-Chunk Nation’s casino and resort plan in Beloit took a major step forward Thursday, receiving the federal approval it needed to move closer to a potential groundbreaking.
The project received approval from the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Indian Affairs and is expected to be published in the Federal Register at a later date, said Ryan Greendeer, Ho-Chunk Nation public information officer.
The proposal now goes to Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers, who is set to make a two-part determination, which is required on gaming fee-to-trust acquisitions.
The proposal would allow the transfer of 33 acres of land into trust status as part of a larger 73.5-acre plot owned by Ho-Chunk near Willowbrook and Colley roads in Beloit. The site is adjacent to Interstate 90/39 on the west side of the Interstate, almost directly across from the Beloit Travel Wisconsin Welcome Center.
If Evers approves, Greendeer clarified Thursday that the project would “be done in phases.”
The decision by Evers cannot come in the form of a line-item veto aimed at separate parts of the project, he added.
“It’s either thumbs up or thumbs down,” Greendeer said.
In February 2018, Evers, then running for governor as the state superintendent of public instruction, said in an interview with the Beloit Daily News that he would sign the proposal. He backed off outright support of the plan after he was elected governor that November, saying he would carefully review it “to ensure fair consideration” for all parties.
A spokesperson for Evers could not immediately be reached for comment Thursday.
In February 2019, a draft white paper prepared by former Gov. Scott Walker’s Division of Gaming confirmed the Ho-Chunk Nation is entitled to one more casino through the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act passed by Congress in 1988.
The project options identified during the process included the full plan (casino, hotel, water park, conference center, adjacent retail component); a reduced casino and commercial development; only a retail development; and a no action/no development option.
Ho-Chunk, Beloit and Rock County officials support the full project option. The project is projected to create 1,500 jobs in Beloit, according to the tribe.
“We’ve been operating under the assumption that we’re doing the full project. …So we start with the infrastructure and work our way to the casino and restaurants, the hotel and conference center, water park and retail. I think the ultimate decision on each will come as they’re approached at that phase,” Greendeer said.
He said the tribe is currently working through design plans on the full-scale project.
The effort has been decades in the making and has seen steady progress since 2018.
Last May, the Bureau of Indian Affairs published a notice of availability of a final environmental impact statement for the project and responded to public comments made last year. That announcement followed a draft environmental impact statement published Nov. 9, 2018, which prompted a public hearing on the development on Dec. 11 that year.
A proposal for a Hard Rock International casino in Rockford, Illinois—at the site of the former Clock Tower Resort—was approved last October. That proposal is currently under review by the Illinois Gaming Board.
Reacting to the federal approval Thursday, officials were mindful of the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Beloit City Manager Lori Curtis Luther said the city is focused on its virus response but welcomes the federal approval.
“While the federal approval of Ho-Chunk Nation’s application to place land in trust and allow Las Vegas-style gambling at an entertainment destination in Beloit is news we have waited many years to receive, we must remain focused on the current state of emergency,” Luther said.
“Unequivocally, our highest priority is doing everything we possibly can to keep our staff and the public safe. Once this crisis is over, we look forward to celebrating this amazing announcement that will bring much-needed future revenue and jobs to Beloit.”
Ho-Chunk Nation Vice President Karena Thundercloud agreed, saying the tribe is focused on protecting its members.
“The Ho-Chunk Nation’s focus remains on keeping people safe. We’re prioritizing critical programs and services the same as any other government, but we’re a resilient people,” Thundercloud said. “This’ll help the community tremendously.”
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