Battle Of The Native American Casinos

Northern Wisconsin Stockbridge tribe claims it will lose $22 million from rival Ho-Chunk tribe’s planned casino.

Stockbridge says the Federal authorities should intervene to should shut down the Ho-Chuck $33 million building, which includes a hotel and hundreds of new slot machines.

The two casinos straddle the Wausau population center – with Ho-Chunk being 15 miles closer to Wausau than Stockbridge.  “When you put a duplicate facility on highways 15 miles closer to your main market, that’s going to have devastating effects,” said Dennis Puzz, a Stockbridge attorney.

Steve Michels, with Ho-Chunk, one of the richest tribes in the state, said the Ho-Chunk expansion is allowed, “The Ho-Chunk Nation is adding to their facility in a manner consistent under the terms of the 2003 Doyle compact amendment.” 

A report showed that the Ho-Chunk casino will take spending from area casinos.  The ensuing legal fight promises to be one thing: Nasty.