Published on: November 11, 2025, 10:35h.
Updated on: November 11, 2025, 11:02h.
- A think tank based in Wisconsin is urging federal authorities to deny a proposed tribal casino in Kenosha.
- The conservative organization criticized Hard Rock Kenosha’s diversity, equity, and inclusion hiring provisions.
A leading conservative think tank in Wisconsin argues that local officials in Kenosha made an unfavorable deal regarding their development agreement with the Menominee Indian Tribe to establish a tribal casino resort at the former Dairyland Greyhound Park racetrack.
The Menominee Tribe, in partnership with the Seminole Tribe of Florida and its subsidiary, Hard Rock International, is currently awaiting federal approval to build a $360 million tribal casino resort in Kenosha. Last year, the Kenosha Common Council authorized the sale of approximately 60 acres of city-owned land to the Menominee for $15 million.
The tribe asserts historical connections to the area, claiming a federal right to conduct Indian gaming, as sanctioned by the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA), provided the land is placed into federal trust. The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) is still evaluating the casino project’s Environmental Assessment, a process hindered by the federal government shutdown.
If the land-into-trust request is approved, as anticipated, the tribe and the Seminoles can proceed with creating a tribal gaming venue. The county and city have already established an intergovernmental agreement facilitating a Class III revenue-sharing arrangement with the state for traditional slot machines, live-dealer table games, and sports betting.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
If approved, the tribes plan to develop a 150-room hotel alongside a gaming area featuring about 1,500 slot machines, 50 tables, and a sportsbook. Additional amenities would include a concert venue seating 2,000, seven dining options, three bars, a retail Hard Rock Shop, an outdoor pool, a fitness center, and a ballroom spanning 8,500 square feet.
The tribes indicate that Hard Rock will create over 1,000 jobs once the project is fully operational. However, it remains to be seen how many of these positions will be filled by residents of Kenosha.
The ratified Intergovernmental Agreement between Kenosha County and the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin stipulates a goal of 25% minority employment. Additionally, it mandates that the casino “make its best efforts to allocate 15% of all contracts to vendors certified as minority business enterprises,” and “10% to businesses certified as at least 51% owned, controlled, or managed by women or Native Americans.”
The MacIver Institute of Wisconsin has raised concerns regarding the diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
This hiring quota focused on DEI was proposed by the Menominee Tribe and accepted by the City and County of Kenosha during the Biden Administration — an administration known for promoting DEI mandates and urging public and private sectors to adopt them while investing hundreds of millions in taxpayer grants,” the MacIver staff stated.
“Considering the likelihood that the Seminole Tribe will place many key roles with their own out-of-state members, the assurance of job creation for Kenosha residents seems doubtful,” the think tank noted.
Demands for Rejection
MacIver recommends that the BIA flatly reject the casino proposal.
“Given the biased hiring terms within the Menominee Tribe’s IGA and the lengthy history of controversies related to past Kenosha casino proposals, the Bureau of Indian Affairs should dismiss the tribe’s latest application. The potential risks to taxpayers, local employment, and the integrity of the regulatory process are simply too substantial,” concluded MacIver.