Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, The: Expanding casino wants licenses to sell liquor

Expanding casino wants licenses to sell liquor

Some aldermen oppose plan for Potawatomi venue to mix alcohol, gambling

By GREG J. BOROWSKI

of the Journal Sentinel staff

Monday, July 17, 2000

The Potawatomi Bingo Casino has applied for four liquor licenses for bars and restaurants inside its $120 million expansion, but the request faces concerns among aldermen about mixing alcohol with gambling.

The expanded casino, narrowly approved last year when the Common Council overturned a mayoral veto, is expected to open Oct. 1 on tribal-owned land in the Menomonee Valley.

The license applications are for a sports bar, cabaret and dinner theater, a sit-down restaurant and buffet restaurant -- all touted by the tribe as major upgrades from the old facility. The Bartolotta Restaurant Group will oversee the food operations.

But the liquor applications, which probably won't be considered until September, face skepticism among some aldermen about the wisdom of serving alcohol at a casino and whether the mix will encourage problem gamblers to gamble more.

"Somebody may go from the sports bar, out to gamble, come back to the bar and then back to gamble," said Ald. Jeff Pawlinski, chairman of the council's Utilities and Licenses Committee. "There's an issue of judgment when people drink alcohol and gamble at the same time."

A casino spokeswoman said alcohol would not be served in the gaming area and patrons would not be allowed to take it outside the restaurants or bar.

"We would certainly want our guests to be responsible in the time they're enjoying gaming or enjoying a show or a meal in our facility, just as any other business owner would," said Linda Sowell, the casino's public relations director.

"We don't see our business being any different from a food and beverage establishment at a hotel or any other restaurant in the city."

Ordinarily, state and local laws -- such as those requiring liquor licenses -- do not apply to tribal lands. However, in an agreement signed in 1990, after the Menomonee Valley land was acquired, the Potawatomi agreed to seek a liquor license before serving alcohol at the casino.

Sowell said most other Indian-run casinos in the state sell alcohol, many of them on the gaming floor.

The new casino will have 250,000 square feet, five times the space of the old building.

The expansion will include 25 blackjack tables and 1,000 slot machines. It was approved by the council in March 1999, when aldermen voted 12-5 to override the veto of Mayor John O. Norquist, who argued the expansion would increase crime and hurt the economy by sucking business away from other bars, clubs and restaurants.

Norquist could not be reached for comment.

It was unclear whether during last year's debate Potawatomi officials indicated they planned to serve alcohol.

Some aldermen believe tribal officials said they would not. Pawlinski, who backed the expansion, said he had requested a transcript of the hearing that was held on the matter.