Menominee Ask Federal Government to Leave Kenosha Decision to New Administration

See the letter from Menominee Tribal leadership below. You know, it’s amazing that with the U.S. economy in such a downturn, the politicians apparently still can’t do the right thing and approve a project that will create 3,000 good jobs and launch a $1 billion construction project in a region that has experienced major job and business losses.

On the positive side, it’s clear from the letter – as well as the Tribe’s media statement and its letter to the BIA – that Menominee isn’t going to give up the fight.

Dear Supporters and Friends:

As the Bush Administration enters its final days, we have been informed that Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne is looking to reject our long-pending Kenosha casino application. While Secretary Kempthorne's personal opposition to off-reservation gaming is well-known, such a denial would go against the strong recommendation of Bureau of Indian Affairs' professional staff, who have studied the Menominee application in detail and say it should be approved. It would go against the wishes of the Kenosha community, which has twice voted in favor of the casino. And it would go against all of the laws and regulations governing land-into-trust decisions in our country.

To try to stop a capricious, end-of-term rejection - and to ensure our project is judged on its significant legal merits, not anyone's personal politics - our Tribe has asked the Department to temporarily suspend consideration of our application until a fresh presidential Administration takes over in January. We are committed to seeing the Kenosha project through. We believe a new Administration offers the best chance to stop one individual's personal beliefs from unfairly overriding the Bureau officials who recommend approval based on the law and a thorough review of our submission.

We hope the Department grants our request for a temporary suspension, but we are nonetheless prepared for other outcomes. Please know that the Menominee Tribe has a number of avenues at its disposal to fight an improper rejection, and we are strongly committed to pursuing them and making the Kenosha project a reality. We stand firmly by our plans and their major benefits for Kenosha, for the Menominee and for Wisconsin.

We continue to be grateful for the overwhelming welcome and strong support the Kenosha and Southeast Wisconsin community has given our project and our Tribe. In the end - even if we must battle an illegal and politically motivated denial - we are confident that the facts and the law will determine the Kenosha project should and must be approved.

Lisa Waukau, Chair

Laurie Boivin, Vice Chair

Show your continued support for the Kenosha project and casino competition by signing our online petition.