In November, the Kenosha City Council in Wisconsin greenlighted a proposal of the Menominee Tribe and Hard Rock International which calls for the development of a new gaming and entertainment resort. The tabled project is planned to use some 60 acres of land, located on County Highway K, west of Interstate 94.

Now, the project continues to gain traction following a meeting of the Kenosha Common Council. The Council met on Wednesday this week and saw a majority of its members vote in favor of the project. With only six members voting against the project, a majority of 11 supported Hard Rock’s planned casino and entertainment resort.

This progress marked another important step toward the realization of the massive casino project that is estimated to have a price tag of nearly $400 million. Securing the approval of the Kenosha Common Council, the proposal will now seek another green light from the Kenosha County Board. The Board is expected to convene later this month, on January 16, and vote on the proposed project.

The Hard Rock Casino in Kenosha is expected to help create new workplaces, including jobs that will be available during the construction. The city itself would benefit from tax revenue, while the casino project is also expected to attract tourists, impacting positively local businesses.

Menominee Tribe Is Excited with the Progress of the Project

Gena Kakkak, chair of the Menominee Tribe, was excited about the recent approval the project secured, as announced in a report by Fox6. “We thank the City Council for its continued support for and confidence in the many positives that the Kenosha Hard Rock Casino will bring to the community,” she explained.

Additionally, Kakkak highlighted the efforts and support of Mayor John Antaramian for the proposal. Speaking about the benefits the new casino would bring, the Tribe’s chair said the project would create more than 1,000 new jobs and boost the local economy.

The price tag of the new project is estimated at $360 million. Besides the 1,000 permanent jobs, the construction of the casino which will last approximately 18 months will also create nearly 1,000 temporary workplaces. Annually, the project is estimated to welcome more than 2.4 million visitors with 1.6 million of that total arriving from other states.

Besides a Hard Rock Hotel with 150 rooms, the project will offer a massive gaming floor with 50 table games and a staggering 1,500 slot machines. Additional amenities visitors of the new venue can expect include a Hard Rock live entertainment venue, restaurants, bars and shopping outlets.

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In 2022, the Menominee Tribe in Wisconsin announced it joined forces with Hard Rock International for a new project that seeks to develop a new gaming and entertainment location in the city of Kenosha. The project has a price tag of $350 million and is expected to use some 60 acres of land located west of Interstate 94. The new gaming and entertainment resort is expected to boost tourism, local businesses and bring tax revenue for the state and the city. Additionally, the project, if approved, is expected to create new workplaces.

Last week, the Kenosha City Council voted in favor of giving the casino project final consideration for an agreement. An overwhelming majority of 12 members voted in favor of the final consideration while only three members voted against it, a report released by Kenosha News reveals. After this approval, the subject will be once again up for consideration at a meeting scheduled for November 20, 2023.

During the recent voting on Thursday, Hard Rock International’s regional president, Matt Schuffert, revealed that the project is expected to create 1,000 new full-time workplaces, offering an average hourly pay of $20. He predicted that the new casino and entertainment resort would generate annual revenues between $250 million and $295 million. Schuffert added: “The intergovernmental agreement calls for a total of about 5% of the net gaming revenue to go back to the city and the county,” explaining that annual revenue is expected to be in the ballpark of $12 million to $15 million.

Besides tax revenue, the new casino project is expected to bring benefits in the form of additional payments. Such payments are expected to provide vital funding for different state initiatives, helping public schools, museums and first responders.

Not Everyone Agrees with the Proposed Casino Project

At the recent meeting, Council members Kelly MacKay, Holly Kangas and David Mau voted against the proposed casino project. Citing witnessing the negative impact of gambling addiction, MacKay said he couldn’t cast a vote supporting the new casino and entertainment location planned to be developed on the west side of the city of Kenosha.

He was joined by more than two dozen people who also voiced their concerns during the recent public hearing. Many of the people who rejected the proposed casino project warned about crimes related to gambling. Notably, most of the people were concerned about the possible increase in addictions that can impact local communities.

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