Beloit in Wisconsin is near the Illinois border, north of Chicago and south of Madison. First settled by a French trapper in the 1820s, the name is thought to have come from the French balotte (handsome ground), it is now one of the most ethnically diverse communities in the Midwest. Yesterday a casino project first proposed eight years ago finally took a step closer to becoming a reality for its developer, the Chippewa Tribe and local residents. The economies of both communities are in need of sustainable improvement.

In what has been described as ‘a horrendous process’ the Midwest Regional Office of the US Interior Department has approved the Trust Land Application sent to Washington. The Bad River and St Croix Bands of the Chippewa Tribe presently suffer 40% unemployment, with 80% of those employed still under the poverty level. A US$500 million casino development close to Beloit could mean that Wisconsin would no longer need to subsidise nearly two-thirds of Beloit’s budget, and that there would be an additional 4,000 jobs in the area.

Should final approval for the Trust Land Application be granted, the casino complex would be built in two phases. A 100,000 sq ft casino and back of house; 35,000 sq ft conference and convention centre; 500-room hotel tower; restaurants; and an all-year water park. The complex would later be expanded to include an additional 500-room hotel tower. The two Chippewa tribes intend to manage the casino rather than bring in an outside operator. The developer, Kurt Carlson, is hopeful that the project will obtain full government approval later this year. (E-01.09.07)

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