Here & Now

Frederica Freyberg: The clock is ticking. Next Thursday, Governor Walker’s final decision is due on a Kenosha casino. Meanwhile, in the days left, the Menominee tribe and its partner, Hard Rock International, are trying to sweeten the pot, even after the Governor announced he was rejecting their casino plan. This week they offered to pay $220 million toward a new Bucks Arena in Milwaukee and increase to $275 million the bond it would post to cover losses the state could suffer because of competing gaming compacts. So far, Governor Walker has rejected the new plans as well, and secretary of administration, Mike Huebsch, said, I don’t believe these are genuine offers that they can fulfill. The stakes are sky high for the Menominee tribe. Its Chairman, Gary Besaw, joins us now from green bay and, chairman, thanks very much for doing so.

Gary Besaw: Thank you, and thank you for having me on, Frederica.

Frederica Freyberg: Now, to this idea that the administration is skeptical that your Kenosha casino would generate enough revenue to both cover the payments for the Bucks Arena as well as the promise to pay the state 7.5% of its net win, what’s your reaction to that?

Gary Besaw: Well, my first reaction would be we would not have a partner with the expertise and the business know how like a Hard Rock International putting forward the bond and the commitment if they did not know that this was possible. Remember, you’re talking about a world-class, multi-billion entertainment venue, and it’s being challenged by secretary Huebsch.We believe we understand the numbers better, and our partners, very much so. Remember, within the greater Kenosha-area and into Northern Illinois where we are looking, there’s over 8 million people within that distance that we would draw from, because we are drawing from that area. We know, for instance

Frederica Freyberg: let me just cut in, because time is short. If the administration is also, though, rejecting your latest proposal that you say Hard Rock International and the tribe’s casino itself would be able to cover, but if they’re also rejecting this, what is left for you?

Gary Besaw: What we want to do is, quite frankly, the Governor has not met with us.He had Mike Huebsch meeting with us and his legal team. And the analysis we had seen, Secretary Huebsch’s analysis, in all due respect, what he had drawn from there to give to the Governor is incorrect. So we want to meet directly with the Governor to go over and correct those misconceptions and those assumptions that we know are incorrect. So we not only want to do that, we want to talk about the bonding and about the full Bucks offer.

Frederica Freyberg: What’s your expectation as to whether or not the Governor will meet with you? Have you heard from his office? I know he’s been out of the country, but….

Gary Besaw: Well, not only has he not. Not only has he been gone this week. It has been in October of 2013 was the last time he had met with us. He had not met with us during the true negotiations going forward. So we know there’s too much. Now, if he is indeed playing hardball, we have given, we have reacted and we have even given more. We believe this is such a large, large win. If he’s playing hardball, he’s won. Look at what we’ve offered. Look at what Wisconsin and the Menominee can win from this deal.

Frederica Freyberg: Why is your tribe pulling out all the stops on this?

Gary Besaw: For two reasons. Number one, we need this. We need the revenue. We are in many of the health and social indicators, we are last in not only in the state, but in many counties compared in the nation. But also because we want him to fully understand just exactly the benefits that this brings to the State. And not only can we be this driving economic factor for the Kenosha area, just drawing tourism into the area, creating synergy not only with us, but with the Potowatami casino, and also keeping Milwaukee Bucks in the area and helping grow Milwaukee.

And this also then remember, the revenue comes back the majority of the revenue comes back to the reservation. So to rebuild the infrastructure on the reservation, provide services Up North. You’re looking at a win/win/win every which way you go. Remember, we are putting in a 25 year commitment, $1.2 billion is the estimate that we would be giving into the State coffers.