SHULLSBURG - Plans to build a casino in Shullsburg will continue to move forward thanks to an agreement signed by the president of the Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians and the Shullsburg mayor, but the tribe is still a long way off from breaking ground.
Mayor Tom Lethlean and Lac du Flambeau tribal president Tom Maulson signed an agreement Tuesday that secures a down payment for infrastructure of the proposed off-reservation casino and 2 percent of the project's net win annually to Shullsburg. The city stands to garner millions if the casino is built, but an Environmental Impact Study has yet to be conducted for the proposed 20-acre facility.
Plans announced last August show the tribe seeks to build a casino, hotel, event center, campground and sportsman's club for an overall cost of about $132 million. The project is expected to bring 600 permanent jobs at the casino complex and 800 construction jobs.
Tuesday's signature cements the partnership between Shullsburg and the tribe, which is located north of Woodruff, but there are still many bureaucratic hurdles to clear. After an Environmental Impact Study is conducted, the Bureau of Indian Affairs has to review the study and send it on to Gov. Scott Walker, who will then review the study and either deny the project or give the final go-ahead to begin construction.
Maulson said he is confident the casino will be built and hopes it will get done in his lifetime, but noted Walker's push to have more time to make a decision about a proposed tribal casino in Kenosha.
"I don't want to be like the Menominees and sit here waiting for six months," Mauslon said.
None of the audience members voiced concerns about the proposed casino. One citizen did ask if the casino had a name yet.
"No, not yet," Maulson said. "We could put a challenge to our young people to come up with something."
The signing ceremony at Townsend Community Center began with another Lac du Flambeau tribe member Richard Jack giving a speech about the communal nature of the event. Jack went around the room and had each audience member take a bit of tobacco out of a bag and put it into a chalice with burning sage and other incense. Jack said this symbolized the communal ideas of the group as he brought the smoldering fragrance from person to person and had the smoke waft into their faces.
Lac du Flambeau has its own casino called Lake of the Torches Resort, with its profits going to the tribe. Mayor Lethlean said he visited the casino and was very impressed.
"If you come out of there and are not impressed, I would love to hear why," Lethlean said.
Mayor Tom Lethlean and Lac du Flambeau tribal president Tom Maulson signed an agreement Tuesday that secures a down payment for infrastructure of the proposed off-reservation casino and 2 percent of the project's net win annually to Shullsburg. The city stands to garner millions if the casino is built, but an Environmental Impact Study has yet to be conducted for the proposed 20-acre facility.
Plans announced last August show the tribe seeks to build a casino, hotel, event center, campground and sportsman's club for an overall cost of about $132 million. The project is expected to bring 600 permanent jobs at the casino complex and 800 construction jobs.
Tuesday's signature cements the partnership between Shullsburg and the tribe, which is located north of Woodruff, but there are still many bureaucratic hurdles to clear. After an Environmental Impact Study is conducted, the Bureau of Indian Affairs has to review the study and send it on to Gov. Scott Walker, who will then review the study and either deny the project or give the final go-ahead to begin construction.
Maulson said he is confident the casino will be built and hopes it will get done in his lifetime, but noted Walker's push to have more time to make a decision about a proposed tribal casino in Kenosha.
"I don't want to be like the Menominees and sit here waiting for six months," Mauslon said.
None of the audience members voiced concerns about the proposed casino. One citizen did ask if the casino had a name yet.
"No, not yet," Maulson said. "We could put a challenge to our young people to come up with something."
The signing ceremony at Townsend Community Center began with another Lac du Flambeau tribe member Richard Jack giving a speech about the communal nature of the event. Jack went around the room and had each audience member take a bit of tobacco out of a bag and put it into a chalice with burning sage and other incense. Jack said this symbolized the communal ideas of the group as he brought the smoldering fragrance from person to person and had the smoke waft into their faces.
Lac du Flambeau has its own casino called Lake of the Torches Resort, with its profits going to the tribe. Mayor Lethlean said he visited the casino and was very impressed.
"If you come out of there and are not impressed, I would love to hear why," Lethlean said.