La Crosse Tribune: Ho-Chunk officials spar as tribal gaming expands

The Ho-Chunk Nation in May announced plans to build a casino, 800-room hotel, water park, movie theater and Native American museum complex in the Chicago suburb of Lynwood, Ill., and continues to pursue the estimated $800 million project.

But last week, budget issues and the way the Ho-Chunk Legislature is approaching the Illinois project sparked criticism from tribal president George Lewis.

Meanwhile, the tribe continues negotiating a new gaming compact with the state of Wisconsin, and looking for more ways to increase revenue and to continue diversifying into other businesses.

Letter from the president

In an "open letter to the people" on the front page of the Hocak Worak tribal newspaper, Lewis responded to a complaint filed by the Ho-Chunk legislature's Finance Committee that alleged he has not submitted budgets for the legislature's approval in a timely fashion.

Lewis wrote that he presented budgets for all of the departments to the legislature, but under protest, and asked the legislature to revise spending limits to prevent placing the Nation in a deficit. He warned against overspending.

"Due to the fact there's ongoing litigation, there's not really much we can talk about," tribal spokesman Stewart Miller said Friday. Miller, who recently became the tribe's public relations officer, declined to elaborate and said Lewis would have no comment about the complaint Friday.

Elsewhere in the same newspaper, a column provided by the president's office said some of the Legislature's decisions about the Illinois project have been made without proper planning or thought as to the consequences if the project doesn't succeed. It said the executive branch has been excluded.

The column said the Legislature is borrowing tens and potentially hundreds of millions of dollars on a project that the executive branch feels is very risky. It described the project as "an incredible opportunity" for the Nation, but said a number of issues need to be addressed.

Ho-Chunk legislators were not available for comment last week.

Compact negotiations

In an interview with the Tribune a week ago, Lewis said the tribe continues negotiating "in good faith" with the state on a new Wisconsin gaming compact.

In April 2003, the tribe and Gov. Jim Doyle announced an agreement on a new compact governing tribal casinos. Under the agreement, the Nation would increase its payments to the state from the previous $8 million a year to $30 million a year.

But in May 2004, the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled, among other things, that Doyle exceeded his authority by approving unending compacts with 10 of the state's 11 tribes. The new agreements also allowed new high-stakes games, such as craps, roulette and poker.

Because of the court ruling, the Ho-Chunk Nation suspended the new games at its casinos on June 30 and decided to withhold its first $30 million payment.

Fourth casino?

The compact the Ho-Chunk signed in 1992 with then-Gov. Tommy Thompson entitled the tribe to four casinos in Wisconsin, but the nation still has only three full-fledged casinos.

By large margins, La Crosse County voters rejected a proposed Ho-Chunk casino in La Crosse in a 2000 advisory referendum; and a proposed Lac du Flambeau tribe casino in La Crosse in a 1995 advisory referendum.

After the Ho-Chunk approached LaCrosse officials in early 2000, state Rep. Mike Huebsch, R-West Salem, said that a casino would have a negative effect on local taverns and restaurants and a "negative moral impact." Two groups formed to fight the casino, one religious and one business.

The Ho-Chunk argued the project would have a positive effect on La Crosse's economy, and charged that opponents had spread misinformation.

In February of this year, Dane County voters rejected HoChunk plans to transform the tribe's DeJope Bingo Hall in Madison into a casino.

Whitetail Crossing

On June 28, the tribe opened its new Whitetail Crossing Casino on Hwy 21, three miles east of Tomah. It is the HoChunk's first ancillary casino, meaning it is a smaller operation than a full-blown casino.

There are plans for a second ancillary site at the tribe's convenience store at Wittenberg, Wis., tribe Vice President Wade Blackdeer of Tomah told the Tribune that day.

Diversifying

"We also have a movie theater (complex) in Tomah," Lewis said, adding that is an example of different businesses the tribe is getting into in order to diversify. The six-screen HoChunk Cinema opened last December.

The tribe also has started a bison herd. Most of the buffalo are at its Bison Prairie I farm/ranch near Muscoda, Wis. The buffalo meat is given to tribal members who need it, such as people with heart conditions or diabetes.

The Ho-Chunk eventually may sell buffalo meat to the public, Lewis said.