Kenosha Proposals for an off-reservation casino in Kenosha have had so many lives that it would make a cat envious.

The desired location for a Kenosha casino, a now-abandoned dog track, has a storied history including indicted participants, financially challenged tribes, big dollar out-state tribes, federal rejection, lawsuits and an unexpected and unprecedented settlement giving this desired off-reservation casino new life. Its a story that would almost be funny, if it wasnt true. Proposed by the Northern Wisconsin Menominee Tribe, some 200 miles from their reservation, the Kenosha Casino proposal was first floated over a decade ago, with a formal application presented to the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) in 2004. In context, the two hundred (200) miles away the Menominee tribe is located isnt that far, when considering the cash-rich New Jersey-based Mohegan Sun Tribe investor some nine hundred (900) miles across the country. Together, the two tribes were advancing a $1 billion casino, unprecedented in size and scope for the state. The story only gets better, with political heavyweight and Kenosha trucking magnate Dennis Trohas involvement. Troha was the face of the off-reservation project, hoping to reap the rewards of his campaign investments in the off-reservation friendly Gov. Jim Doyle ($200,000 in campaign-related contributions from Troha family members) who would have had final approval if the BIA endorsed the application. Troha reported to the state in 2005 his net worth was $33.7 million. The aggressive push hit a snag on 2007 with a major bombshell being dropped--Troha was federally indicted for money laundering, giving money to his children to contribute to candidates, in-turn grossly exceeding individual campaign contribution limits. Matters where made worse during Trohas questioning by FBI agents, where he repeatedly lied about the contributions.

With a recent-federally indicted developer heavily involved in the project, and more project questions than answers, the Bureau of Indian Affairs rejected the application in January of 2009. A pending suit calling to question the newly-implemented rules of review was filed in advance of the rejection by the tribal interests. The BIAs denial seemingly ended Trohas twenty year quest to get involved in gaming, leaving both he and the tribes out an estimated nearly $7 million spent on the failed attempt to locate an off-reservation casino in Kenosha. End of storynot so fast. Fast forward to August 2011, as part of a settlement to the tribes still pending 2009 lawsuit, the BIA agreed to withdraw its rejection to the earlier application promising to indicate which portions of the previously-denied application would need to be modified. No public timeline was announced for resubmission of the revised application, nor has the public yet to be made aware of the deficient components of the past application. With little known regarding the areas of the application the BIA has indicated the tribe must refocus their efforts, as well as no formal timeline and larger questions as to the scope and partners involved in the project, once again the Kenosha casino effort raises more question than provides answers. Next Steps: The tribe must finish its work on the application, and then forward it on to the BIA for review. Considering the BIAs tepid response to the litigation, and now overall helpfulness with the application, a quick review seems likely. Thereafter, the Governor of Wisconsin would have the final approvalor, denial. Menominee Tribe Fast Facts: Plans for a Kenosha Casino have existed in one form or another since the late 90s Casino would be 200+ miles from the reservation This proposal has included a turnstile of investors and developers, both in and out of statemost relationships ending due to really bad decisions The Kenosha Casino has already been rejected once by the BIA, and received a surprising second life at the hands of President Obamas hand-picked BIA chief