The Potawatomi tribe, which operates a Milwaukee casino, filed a lawsuit in federal court Thursday to try to halt what it views as imminent Bureau of Indian Affairs approval for a proposed rival casino in Kenosha run by the Menominee tribe. Thursday's lawsuit sought a temporary restraining order barring a final Bureau of Indian Affairs ruling on the Kenosha casino and comes on the heels of a similar suit filed last week. Bureau officials in Washington, D.C., couldn't be reached Thursday for comment on the status of the Menominee request to have a parcel surrounding the Dairyland Greyhound Park converted to reservation land.
Casinos are illegal in Wisconsin, except on Indian land.
Joseph Madrigrano, a Kenosha lawyer and investor in the Menominee casino, said bureau approval for that deal was expected today. Menominee Tribal Chairman Apesanahkwat has said he believes the Potawatomi objections are based on fear of competition. The Menominee casino, which would boast up to 4,000 slot machines, would be far larger than the Potawatomi Bingo Casino in Milwaukee's Menomonee Valley. Extra traffic generated by the Menominee casino could worsen local air pollution problems, according to the Potawatomi lawsuit. Today is the last full day of Clinton's presidency.