Feb. 26, 2003
City officials are resigned to watch casino grow
New pact ignores local input, and there's little spirit left to wage a fight
By GREG J. BOROWSKI

Four years ago, plans to expand the Potawatomi Bingo Casino in the Menomonee Valley created a firestorm of opposition, with Mayor John O. Norquist nearly succeeding in his effort to block it.

This time, with the tribe saying it will add 950 jobs in a $120 million expansion, the plan has sparked little outcry among city officials.

"It's over with now - the state is a partner in gambling," said Ald. Michael Murphy, who voted against the expansion in 1999. "I don't think there is any opposition on the council. To oppose it now would make no sense."

Indeed, most of the frustration that exists is directed at Gov. Jim Doyle for not giving local governments a say in the matter, as former Gov. Tommy G. Thompson did last time.

It was Thompson's insistence on local support that led to the emotional casino debate in 1999, with the expansion approved on a 12-5 council vote to override Norquist's veto. The key vote was provided by Ald. Willie Hines.

"I think common courtesy would have dictated the governor would have informed us they were renegotiating the compact," said Common Council President Marvin Pratt, who backed the expansion effort in 1999.

Pratt has added a discussion about the new agreement to the agenda of today's meeting of the Steering and Rules Committee, which he chairs.

"I'm a little bit concerned we've been carved out of the process," said Ald. Tom Nardelli, who also backed the last expansion. "I think we deserve the right to negotiate for as much as we can get."

Under the current agreement, the city gets at least $3.4 million a year and the county $3.2 million, and more if the casino's "net win" - the amount lost by bettors - exceeds $200 million.

The proposed agreement is expected to bring in nearly $7 million each for the city and county, starting in 2006. During tight budget times, such an increase is welcome, but it won't offset the nearly $10 million a year the city will lose under Doyle's proposed cuts to the shared revenue program.

Norquist said Tuesday that the new jobs are a benefit, but noted, "there's no question most of the people who go there aren't people who can afford to lose a lot of money."

Norquist said the city will have to work with the tribe so its expansion meshes well with city plans for the development in the valley, a key spot for manufacturing jobs.

"They're going to need permits from the city, but the city is not hostile to them," he said.

While the council won't have the ability to block the expansion of gambling, it may get an indirect say in the project though approval of any necessary zoning changes for the expansion of the building.

"We've talked about mixed use in the valley," said Ald. Fred Gordon, who backed the most recent expansion. "I think we'll do whatever we need to do to keep this a viable tourist attraction."

A version of this story appeared in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on Feb. 26, 2003