Monthly Archives: August 2022

Boyd Gaming and the Wilton Rancheria Tribe quietly opened a $500 million casino near Sacramento last week with neither fanfare nor a grand opening celebration.

The Sky River Casino in the capital citys suburb of Elk Grove was scheduled to open in mid-September. Shortly before midnight on Aug. 16, the casinos Facebook page carried the message, Psstyou up? Were open. The post showed an image of active slot machines.

Boyd Gaming, which built and will operate the casino for the tribe through a seven-year management contract, did not put out a press release or file a statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission announcing the opening.

We completed construction early and completed the prep work for the opening. We felt comfortable and didnt see any reason to delay the opening, Boyd spokesman David Strow said Monday. A grand opening celebration for Sky River will take place next month.

The casino, which does not have a hotel, has 100,000 square feet of gaming space that includes 2,000 slot machines, 80 table games and 17 food and beverage venues.

Boyd Gaming CEO Keith Smith did not give investors any hint of an early opening for Sky River during the companys second-quarter conference call in July.

Thanks to its location just south of Sacramento, this property is well-positioned to capture a significant share of the Sacramento and Bay Area markets, Smith said, calling the property a compelling entertainment experience.

Wilton Rancheria Tribal Chairman Jesus Tarango credited Boyd with getting the casino open ahead of schedule.

Thats what you get when you get a good partner with Boyd Gaming, he told the Elk Grove Citizen about the early opening. Theyve been in the game; they know how to do it.

Sky River includes a vacant 64-acre site owned by Boyd Gaming next to the casino, which sits on 36 acres along Highway 99. The future development of the larger parcel has not been decided.

Sky River is the third Northern California casino to open in the Sacramento area that could be viewed as direct competition to casinos in the Reno-Sparks area and South Lake Tahoe.

Harrah's Northern California in the town of Ione opened in April 2019 and is owned by the Buena Vista Rancheria of Me-Wuk Indians. The casino is operated by Caesars Entertainment. Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Sacramento at Fire Mountain, which is operated by Hard Rock Entertainment for the Estom Yumeka Maidu Indians of the Enterprise Rancheria, opened in October 2019.

Gaming analysts and Reno leaders have said Northern Nevadas economic upswing, thanks to an influx of large and small technology-based companies, has transformed Renos gaming industry from a tourism-dependent market into a traditional regional gaming destination driven by local customers.

The $120 million Legends Bay Casino, the first all-new, from-the-ground-up casino development in the Reno-Sparks metropolitan area in more than two decades, opens next week.

Meanwhile, Colorado-based Century Casinos is buying the Nugget Casino Resort in Sparks for $195 million.

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Boyd Gaming opens its Sacramento-area casino a month ahead of schedule The Nevada Independent - The Nevada Independent

JOHANNESBURG--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In the latest addition to the Springbok Casino game lobby, Desert Raider looks to lead players through the temples of Ancient Egypt in search of the primeval civilisations precious, hidden relics.

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Ancient Egypt's most precious relics are unearthed at Springbok Casino - Business Wire

A new plan is in the works to redevelop the long abandoned Medford property that was once home to the Brookhaven Multiplex into a state-of-the-art modern warehouse.

After failed attempts by Suffolk OTB to mimic the success of Jakes 58 in Islandia by building a casino on the site, the industrial project is much less controversial and has already secured the approval of the Medford Taxpayers and Civic Association.

Lincoln Equities Group, a New Jersey-based developer of industrial and office properties, is spearheading the project under its subsidiary, Medford Logistics LLC. Lincoln Equities Group was responsible for the construction of a 95,000-square-foot industrial property in Hicksville that was eventually leased as a distribution center to Home Depot as a single tenant for last mile appliance delivery.

The Medford industrial project will be the companys first foray into Suffolk County.

Located on the south side of the Long Island Expressway service road between Route 112 and Horseblock Road at Exit 64 of the Long Island Expressway, the 30-acre property has been abandoned since Brookhaven Multiplex closed in the early 2000s. Lincoln Equities proposes to construct a 390,000-square-foot, 55-feet tall warehouse facility with an on-site sewage treatment plant.

The property would have 90 loading docks, with parking for 97 tractor trailers and an additional 248 spots for vehicles. The applicant seeks a change of zoning for the project from Commercial Recreation and A Residence 1 to Industrial.

Garrett Gray from Weber Law Group, the attorney for the applicant, said that industrial is more or less in compliance with land use plans at an Aug. 11 Brookhaven Town Board meeting. Following a public hearing on the project, the board granted application of the change of zone to move forward.

A $311,025 land use intensification fee will be due prior to final approval of the application.

The plans call for one single industrial building, with access to the site from the west and east side of the south service road, which will provide ingress and egress for tractor trailers and employees. All traffic will come off the LIE through the service road entrances.

Because modern warehouse facilities require fewer employees to operate, the projected parking need will be much less than provided, according to Gray.

An emergency access only egress will be provided from Long Island Avenue, though it will be gated. Gray said that the plans meet all buffers required by Brookhaven Town code.

At the board meeting, residents who live near the site expressed concern about the loss of the existing natural buffer that is now 450 feet from the residential area on the west side of the property and noise from tractor trailers backing into the facility. Another resident mentioned that the enormous size of the building itself was a concern.

Once a thriving hub of entertainment when it was built in the mid-1980s, the Brookhaven Multiplex was at the time considered a state-of-the-art facility. It was closed after it became dated, with the emergence of newer theaters that featured stadium seating and other amenities.

There is no proposed tenant for the site yet and the facility will be geared more toward a traditional industrial space usage rather than a last mile-type logistics center, according to the developers. The developers also could not commit to hours of operation for the possible tenant.

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Warehouse proposed for abandoned Brookhaven Multiplex, after casino plan falls through - Greater Long Island

Posted on: August 22, 2022, 11:51h.

Last updated on: August 22, 2022, 12:12h.

Next year, Bloomberry Resorts Corp. hopes to open its second integrated resort (IR) in the Philippines. If it gets its way, the casino operator will almost immediately begin construction on another project.

Bloomberry announced several months ago that it was considering a third IR in the Philippines. It already has the spot picked out, southwest of the capital of Manila in the city of Cavite on Manila Bay.

In an update it provided to investors last week, the company reaffirmed its commitment to the latest project. However, Solaire Resort North needs to open first, and Bloomberry expects that to happen next year.

Bloomberry Director for Investor Relations Jonas Isaac Ramos revealed the plans to investors, according to the Manila Standard. He explained that the company wont get started on construction until after Solaire Resort North opens. However, he stressed that plans are to cross off some checklist items before then.

Among these, he said, are site surveys, environmental approvals, impact studies, and more. That way, everything will be in place once Bloomberry is ready to break ground.

However, breaking ground requires another step. The company is still in the process of securing the land it wants for the IR. Bloomberry is purchasing 280 hectares (691.9 acres) for $134 million. For that to happen, it has to make sure the money is in place and that the titles are legitimate.

If it is able to successfully jump all of the hurdles, Bloomberry envisions a highly lucrative project. It believes that it could be even bigger than Solaire.

Bloomberry wants to make the Philippines the go-to destination for gamblers and travelers. It even announced in May that it will provide financial support for the Emerald Bay Casino Resort in Cebu.

Enrique Razon, Bloomberrys chairman, already signed a term sheet with Emerald Bay developer PH Resort Group. However, in an update from Inside Asian Gaming, the project is reportedly on hold due to ongoing financial issues.

By the time the various IRs are operational, the Philippines should be in a good position in terms of tourism. Travel is up and continues to improve on a regular basis.

Daniel Cecilio of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp (PAGCOR) predicts that the Philippines needs several more years for its casino revenue to reach pre-COVID-19 levels. The licensing and regulatory group chief acknowledges that the industry is rebounding, but adds that progress is slow.

However, things are getting better quickly. A new update from the executive director of the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB), Carmelo Arcilla, should give casino operators optimism.

Arcilla stated on Friday that inbound air travel is around 70% of the level it was in 2019. Domestic travel, on the other hand, is almost 100%. As a result, the Philippines is rapidly ramping up its international tourism market.

There is still more to be done, however. Where there were previously more than 100 flights between the Philippines and China, there are now just six.

China was responsible for over 1.7 million tourist arrivals in the Philippines in 2019. The country received 8.26 million total that year, according to Statista.

Arcilla is confident the Philippines is prepared. The airlines are ready to start responding to higher demand and the airports are capable of handling more traffic. Now, the only thing the country needs is for people to start traveling more.

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Bloomberry Anxious To Start Construction on Third Casino Resort in the Philippines - Casino.Org News

Construction of a temporary casino at Grand Islands Fonner Park is expected to start in September, following the Nebraska State Fair.

Fonner Park Chief Executive Officer Chris Kotulak gave an update to the Grand Island Noon Rotary Club Tuesday on the upcoming Grand Island Casino Resort planned for the campus, via Elite Casino Resorts.

The plan is to get started as soon as we can after the fair, said Kotulak.

The state fair ends on Labor Day, Sept. 5.

Two days after, were going to start the demo in the concourse area, he said.

Kotulak showed a layout of the racetracks concourse area, which will host the temporary casino.

The plan is to get the slot machines up and running, and as we draw closer to when the resort would be open, the permanent casino and hotel, when that gets ready to be opened thats when theyll probably fold in some of the table games. Or theyll just do it right off the bat, he explained.

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The temporary casino is expected to open around Thanksgiving. It will be operational for at least two years.

All along, we said were not going to just open up some metal shed and throw in some slots and call it done, said Kotulak. We want people to have as good a customer experience as they can without the final result.

A 30-second commercial for the temporary casino will start airing soon, Kotulak announced. It was shown to the club.

The spot declares, Get ready, Nebraska! Grand Island Casino Resorts temporary casino is coming soon to Fonner Park! Get in on the action!

The temporary casino will have 300 slot machines, live table games and the thrill of winning.

Job applications are being accepted through grandislandresort.com.

Construction of the permanent casino will take place after 2023 state fair, following the racing season, a slate of events and livestock shows and planned infrastructure improvements to the campus grounds, said Kotulak.

A five-story hotel is planned for over the casino, to be located to the north of the existing clubhouse. The casino will have gaming on the main floor, and over that will be an indoor/outdoor pool area with a biergarten.

Vince Fiala, who has worked for Elite Casinos for 14 years, was named as general manager in April 2021.

Nebraska voters authorized expanded casino gambling in the state through a trio of ballot measures in 2020.

The Grand Island facility is one of six initial casino projects expected to move forward in Nebraska. Projects have already broken ground at horse tracks in Omaha and Lincoln, both of which intend to operate temporary casinos.

Kotulak called the coming resort a very big thing.

In the last couple of months, its become more of a reality that this is going to happen, he said. There were a lot of uncertainties with the legislation that we needed to help shore up this new industry in our state. It took quite a bit of help.

The project has also been affected by supply chain issues and rising costs due to inflation. Plans have also undergone some changes.

At one time, we were thinking there would be a temporary facility that would be built on the north end of the racetrack, completely independent of the building, he said. That has since been scrubbed.

A benefit for the racetrack is that, with the casino revenue, Fonner Park will be able to boost purses for its races and host more horses.

The facility can support up to 1,000 horses. In recent years, its hosted about 750.

Back in the 70s and 80s, our stable area was full and people were stabling their horses off the grounds and just haul in to run that day. There might have been 1,200 horses fighting to get in and race here. Its not that way anymore, said Kotulak.

Asked if the casino will help or hurt pari-mutuel wagering at the track, Kotulak said, with the slot machines, they are budgeting to take a hit.

We dont know exactly how thats going to feel, he said, because what well lose out of our mutuel handle, with the deal we made with Elite, thats going to help us with our revenue, so well be able to put that back into purse money, and if we have greater purse money were going to have more horses and fuller fields, so that will help.

The flashing lights, the sirens, the hum of conversation, and the thrill of placing a bet are all part of the allure of casinos. While gambling has been around for centuries, casinos began popping up in Italy in the 17th century. The Casino di Venezia, which opened in 1638 in Venice, is theworlds oldest casino, though it was originally known as Theatre Saint Moses. It offered guests the opportunity to gamble during theatrical production intermissions.

By the 19th century, casinos appeared all over Europe. In the United States, towns like Las Vegas and Reno in Nevada, and Atlantic City in New Jersey, became known for casinos and the infamous ties held to organized crime. Gambling itself had a reputation as a vice that could lead to other bad habits.

Hollywoods own obsession with casinos has a long history as well. Classic film Casablanca features a casino as part of Rick Blaines nightclub. Throughout the next several decades, directors like Robert Altman, Martin Scorsese, and Steven Soderbergh tried their hand at movies about the appeal of gambling and the casinos that supported the lifestyle.

OLBGresearched the history of casinos on screen and put together a list of 20 of the best casino films. To be included, movies had to have important scenes take place in a casino, and the film had to have at least a 6.0 onIMDbor a 65 onMetacritic.

- Director: George Hickenlooper

- IMDb user rating: 6.2

- Metascore: 51

- Runtime: 108 minutes

This fictionalized retelling of a true story stars Kevin Spacey as Jack Abramoff, a corrupt Washington D.C. lobbyist motivated by greed and power. Abramoff and his partner Michael Scanlon stole funds from Native American casinos all while twisting laws for their convenience. In a nod to the 1996 film Jerry Maguire, one scene finds Scanlon and Abramoff screaming, Show me the money! Actress Kelly Preston who plays Abramoffs wife in the film played Maguires former girlfriend as well.

- Director: Steven Soderbergh

- IMDb user rating: 6.5

- Metascore: 58

- Runtime: 125 minutes

The sequel to Oceans Eleven finds Danny Ocean adding a partner to his band of thieves as they work together to pull off several European heists. Steven Soderbergh directed not only this second film in what would be a trilogy, but all three Oceans installments. George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts, Elliot Gould, and Bruce Willis not only starred in the film, but they also had another thing in commonthey were all guest stars on the sitcom Friends.

- Director: Lewis Milestone

- IMDb user rating: 6.6

- Metascore: 57

- Runtime: 127 minutes

Featuring the Rat PackFrank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Peter Lawford, and Joey BishopOceans 11, focuses on 11 men who pull off an unbelievable Las Vegas heist. Danny Ocean, played by Sinatra, leads his former World War II buddies in a plan to rob multiple casinos in a single night. This classic film would be remade in 2001 with George Clooney taking over the role of Danny Ocean. Angie Dickinson played Danny Oceans ex-wife in the 1960 film, while Julia Roberts stepped in for the updated version in 2001.

- Director: Guy Hamilton

- IMDb user rating: 6.6

- Metascore: 59

- Runtime: 120 minutes

The seventh film in the James Bond film franchise, which was based on the novels by Ian Fleming, stars Sean Connery as 007. The spy jets off to Las Vegas to investigate diamond smuggling and discovers a wealthy tycoon and a nefarious plot. Connery was the first actor to play James Bond and starred in seven of the films. The Oscar-nominated film was shot on location in Las Vegas at several casinos including The Riviera, Tropicana Las Vegas, and Circus Circus Las Vegas.

- Director: Barry Levinson

- IMDb user rating: 6.8

- Metascore: 80

- Runtime: 136 minutes

This film chronicled the life of notorious mobster Bugsy Siegel and his significant role in building modern Las Vegas. Starring Annette Bening and Warren Beatty, the two would fall in love during filming, marry soon after, and go on to have four children together. The film was nominated for an astounding 10 Oscars and won two. While Bugsy lost for best picture at the Oscars to The Silence of the Lambs, it did manage to take home the Golden Globe Award for best motion picturedrama.

- Director: Robert Luketic

- IMDb user rating: 6.8

- Metascore: 48

- Runtime: 123 minutes

Under the tutelage of a Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor, six MIT students were trained to become card counters and made a killing in Las Vegas in this film, which is loosely based on the novel Bringing Down the House by Ben Mezrich. While many filming locations were in Boston, including the Public Garden, Boston University, and Newbury Street, Las Vegas was also an important filming locale for 21. According to the Nevada Film Office, shooting took place in many Las Vegas casinos, including Planet Hollywood, The Venetian, Caesars Palace, Hard Rock Hotel, and Red Rock Casino.

- Director: Wayne Kramer

- IMDb user rating: 6.9

- Metascore: 69

- Runtime: 101 minutes

An unlucky man is used by the mob to cool things down for high rollers who are on a winning streak at a Las Vegas casino until he gets lucky in love, changing his own luck at the casino. Maria Bello, William H. Macy, and Alec Baldwin star in this film that was primarily shot in Reno, Nevada. Baldwin received both an Oscar and a Golden Globe nomination for best supporting actor for his role as casino boss Shelly Kaplow.

- Director: Steven Soderbergh

- IMDb user rating: 6.9

- Metascore: 62

- Runtime: 122 minutes

The final film in the Oceans Eleven trilogy, Oceans Thirteen finds the gang getting together to pull off another heist after one of the original 11 is double-crossed by casino owner Willy Bank, who is played by legendary actor Al Pacino. One of the lines in the film, You shook Sinatras hand, is a reference to Frank Sinatra who played Danny Ocean in the original version of Oceans 11. The phrase is meant as a sort of moral code or gentlemans agreement.

- Director: Ben Younger

- IMDb user rating: 7.0

- Metascore: 63

- Runtime: 120 minutes

When Seth Davis father, a judge, catches him running an illegal casino from his apartment, he isnt happy. Davis, played by Giovanni Ribisi, goes out and gets a job as a broker in a boiler room, which according to Dictionary.com is, a place where illicit brokers engage in high-pressure selling, over the telephone, of securities of a highly speculative nature or of dubious value. The film was loosely based on the story of Jordan Belfort who was the subject of the 2013 Martin Scorsese film, The Wolf of Wall Street, which was also the title of Belforts memoir.

- Director: Richard Kwietniowski

- IMDb user rating: 7.1

- Metascore: 70

- Runtime: 104 minutes

At the heart of this film is a tale of gambling addiction. Based on the true story of Brian Molony, Owning Mahowny tells the tale of Dan Mahowny, a bank manager, who has access to multimillion dollar accounts that he used to feed his gambling habit. The real-life Molony committed bank fraud by embezzling $10.4 million from the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce. The film, starring Philip Seymour Hoffman as Mahowny, was filmed in Toronto and Atlantic City, where Molony actually dropped $1.4 million at a New Jersey casino just before his arrest in 1982.

- Director: Mike Hodges

- IMDb user rating: 7.1

- Metascore: 75

- Runtime: 94 minutes

Aspiring writer Jack Manfred gets a job as a croupier, someone who works the tables at a casino and handles bets and payouts. While Jack does not gamble, his father does, and it is he who gets Jack the job at a London casino. Portrayed by Clive Owen, Jack gets caught up in a love triangle and a plot to cheat the casino before the films end. The casino in the film was actually created on a set in Germany.

- Director: Karel Reisz

- IMDb user rating: 7.2

- Metascore: 65

- Runtime: 111 minutes

James Caan stars as high-stakes gambler and English professor Axel Freed, who gets so caught up in gambling that he offers a loan shark his life for collateral against a loan. This crime thriller earned Caan an Oscar nod for best actor. Screenwriter James Toback has plenty of experience with gambling and based the films screenplay on his own addictionthough Freeds gambling appears to be an addiction to the rush and danger rather than to the act of gambling. A 2014 remake of the film starred Mark Wahlberg in the lead role.

- Director: Robert Altman

- IMDb user rating: 7.2

- Metascore: 84

- Runtime: 108 minutes

A casual gambler and a professional become friends and dig themselves deeper into the world of betting in this film starring Elliott Gould and George Segal. In a final desperate attempt to win big, the two characters head to Reno, Nevada, for the poker game to end all poker games. California Split was the first non-Cinerama film to use the eight-track sound system for dialogue, allowing for the recording of eight separate audio channels. The use of this technology solidified Altmans use of overlapping dialogue, which became one of his trademarks as a director.

- Director: Paul Thomas Anderson

- IMDb user rating: 7.2

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Temporary casino construction in Grand Island to start after Nebraska State Fair - Kearney Hub

Instead of holding crisp bills, many tourists and locals have often found themselves irritated that they are stuck with a ticket voucher worth a few cents. Players only have six months to use the voucher. But where does the money go after a voucher expires?

Per a 2011 law, the state collects 75 percent of any expired wagering voucher and the casino licensee can keep the rest. And gamblers left $22 million in unclaimed tickets in the fiscal year that ended June 30, according to state data.

Clorissa Pierce of Farmington, New Mexico, makes sure to play a mix of new and old slot machines when she visits Las Vegas. She likes the vintage penny and quarter games, the sound coins make and checking out the bonuses on the large new machines.

But one thing she doesnt like ticket vouchers. When Pierce ends her gameplay and redeems her money at an ATM/ticket-in, ticket-out machine, shes stuck with a paper ticket for the change value.

Thats one thing I hated about the ticket vouchers, Pierce said. They dont give out less than a dollar. You have to go all the way to the cashiers cage to cash them out. Sometimes thats a pain, especially when its 30 or 40 cents. Its become a hassle.

Nevadas expiration process isnt unique. Unclaimed tickets in New Jersey and Pennsylvania expire after one and three years, respectively. Others dont expire at all.

In Nevada, when it hits 180 days after a vouchers issuance, casinos include 25 percent of the redemption value in its reported gross revenue for the month that it expired and remit the remaining amount to the Nevada Gaming Commission, which adds the funds into the states general fund.

Revenue collected from expired tickets has increased every year since 2012, the first year the state began collecting revenue from unclaimed tickets. At that time, the state reported revenue of $3.1 million on $4.2 million of unclaimed vouchers. (The state does not collect data on how many vouchers go unclaimed each year.)

State revenue from these tickets climbed to an estimated $10.4 million during the fiscal year 2019. Revenue declined during the pandemic but as the businesses and travel started to pick up over the past year, it jumped by 59 percent in 2022 to $16.5 million. That means casinos kept roughly $5.5 million in unclaimed tickets last fiscal year.

Experts point to a few different reasons for the jump in revenue.

It has been pretty interesting to witness the growth recorded in the expired wagering voucher fee payments from $7.2 million in FY13 to what was collected in FY22, Mike Lawton, senior economic analyst for the Nevada Gaming Control Board, said in an email. For the most part, the amount of expired wagering voucher fee payments has grown in tandem with the growth of slot win recorded by the state. This seems logical as the ratio between slot win and expired vouchers has not fluctuated too greatly.

Last year, the state recorded an all-time record for slot wins at $9.8 billion naturally, there was an increase in expired vouchers.

But Lawton pointed to a change in the law that took effect in 2021. It expanded the collection sources of expired vouchers to include all games that issue wagering vouchers such as some advanced table games and some sports wagering scenarios. State officials say they dont have any idea of its impact because the Gaming Control Board doesnt receive data on expired wagering vouchers by game type.

Other industry members suspect changing operations and visitor behavior during the pandemic contributed to an increase in expired tickets.

Victor Newsom, senior vice president at Las Vegas-based financial tech firm Everi Holdings Inc. which manufactures ATM and ticket-in, ticket-out machines, among other products said more vouchers could be circulating with lower values because many casinos limited their coin operations after the coin shortage in 2020.

With the coin shortage, they have moved to the point where you can redeem a $100.53 ticket, but you would only get the $100 in bills, Newsom said. You would get another TITO ticket generated for 53 cents that you can take to the cage. It doesnt necessarily cut down on the number of vouchers floating around but it dramatically cuts into both the operators cost and the value of the unredeemed number of tickets.

For players like Pierce, a ticket worth a few coins is often not worth the trip to the cage, especially if theres a line. Some will save their tickets for future visits or keep them as souvenirs.

Pierce said her family collects them to add into tips when theyre on a property. Other times, shes had players hand her their extra tickets while she sits near an ATM. Shell even pick up a rogue ticket atop the machine.

I wish they would set it up so you could get your change back, Pierce said. When they just expire, its kind of a waste.

McKenna Ross is a corps member with Report for America, a national service program that places journalists into local newsrooms. Contact her at mross@reviewjournal.com. Follow @mckenna_ross_ on Twitter.

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Players let $22M in cashout tickets expire last year. Where did the money go? - Las Vegas Review-Journal

KENOSHA - The governments of two tribes in Wisconsin have expressed support for a Menominee casino in Kenosha while the Potawatomi Tribe strongly opposes the endeavor.

The Oneida Nation has a successful history of working with other sovereign nations to build and support Indian gaming and other enterprises across the nation, read a statement from the Oneida Nation Business Committee this month. Oneida can be proud of supporting the common goals of self-sufficiency, economic expansion and diversification and advocation for tribal sovereignty.

Officials with the Stockbridge-Munsee Mohican Nation, whose reservation is adjacent to the Menominee Reservation, expressed support for a Menominee Kenosha casino on Saturday.

The Menominee are our neighbors and share many ties and many of the same needs as our community, said Stockbridge-Munsee Mohican Nation President Shannon Holsey in a statement. "We fully support their efforts to find the resources to address those needs, which can only help the larger tribal, regionaland state communities.

RELATED:Menominee tribe teaming up with Hard Rock in another bid to open an casino in Kenosha

RELATED:Bristol Village Board approves the $15 million sale of land to company potentially interested in opening a casino in Kenosha

Officials from the Oneida and Mohican tribes cite the fact that the Menominee Nation is one of the poorest tribes in Wisconsin and revenue from a Kenosha casino would allow the tribe to invest in health and education needs and reduce high levels of poverty, hunger and unemployment on the Menominee Reservation.

The Menominee Nation is partnering with Hard Rock International, which is owned by the Seminole Tribe based in Florida, in the Kenosha casino project.

The casino would be on about 60 acres of land on the east and west sides of 122nd Avenue in Kenosha.

The village of Bristol last month agreed to sell the land to Hard Rock for $15 million.

Potawatomi tribal officials believe the Kenosha casino would compete for business with their Milwaukee casino.

Potawatomi is opposed to this casino, said Potawatomi spokesman George Ermert. Were opposed to a tribe from Florida with no connection to Wisconsin coming into our state and taking millions of dollars and bringing it back to Florida.

He said Potawatomi officials do support a bid by the Ho-Chunk Nation to open a casino in Beloit in southern Wisconsin even though that could compete with the Milwaukee casino.

Ermert said the Beloit casino would be owned and operated by the Ho-Chunk Nation and Beloit is within Ho-Chunk ancestral land.

The Ho-Chunk have every right to open a casino there, he said.

Kenosha is within an area that the Potawatomi claim as ancestral land and was once the site of a Potawatomi village.

Ermert said Kenosha is derived from the Potawatomi word for pickerel.

Oneida and Mohican officials had also supported the Menominee Nations previous bid to open a casino in Kenosha, which was shot down by former Gov. Scott Walker in 2015.

The Oneida and Mohican people had settled on Menominee land in the northeast of the state now known as Wisconsin in the 1800s after their own land was taken from them by European colonists in New York and Massachusetts.

The process to open a casino in Kenosha is expected to take several years and is subject to federal and state approval.

FrankVaisvilasis aReport For Americacorps member based at the Green Bay Press-Gazettecovering Native American issues in Wisconsin. He can be reached at 815-260-2262 orfvaisvilas@gannett.com, or on Twitter at @vaisvilas_frank.Please consider supporting journalismthat informs our democracy with atax-deductible gift to this reporting effort at GreenBayPressGazette.com/RFA.

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Here's why Menominee Nation's bid for a casino in Kenosha is drawing both support and opposition from tribes in Wisconsin - Green Bay Press Gazette