Menominee Indian Tribe News



MENOMINEE INDIAN TRIBE PARTNERS WITH HARD ROCK INTERNATIONAL
TO RELAUNCH KENOSHA CASINO EFFORT

WISCONSIN TRIBE WILL BE OWNER; PROJECT SLATED TO INCLUDE CASINO,
HARD ROCK LIVE MUSIC VENUE, AND HARD ROCK CAFE AS WELL AS HOTEL AND OTHER AMENITIES

KESHENA, Wl - The Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin (MITW) today announced that in partnership with Hard
Rock International (Hard Rock), it will relaunch the Wisconsin tribe's efforts to open a destination entertainment
center and casino in the City of Kenosha. Menominee will be the owner of the casino and related facilities, and
Hard Rock will be the developer and manager of the project.
Menominee Chairman Ronald J. Corn, Sr. said that the revived effort is aimed at providing necessary resources for the ongoing and growing needs of the tribe's members. The Menominee is ranked as one of the largest and
poorest tribes in Wisconsin and regularly reports some of the highest rates of poverty and lowest ratings for health outcomes of any area in the state.
"Hard Rock has a long standing partnership with the Menominee Tribe and is proud to support them in their
continued efforts to bring a world-class gaming and entertainment resort to the Kenosha community," said Hard
Rock International COO Jon Lucas,
Corn praised the Seminole Tribe of Florida, which owns Hard Rock International, for its ongoing interest in and
support of the Kenosha project. He said that adding the Hard Rock brand and expertise to the project will help
ensure that the Kenosha casino will be an appealing destination for people from throughout the Midwest.
A previous Menominee Hard Rock Project in Kenosha was approved by the City of Kenosha, County of Kenosha,
and United States Bureau of Indian Affairs and Department of the Interior, but was rejected by then Gov. Walker
during the midst of his early presidential campaign in 2015.
"Much has changed since our 2015 effort, but the needs of our tribe and its members have continued and in some cases grown more acute,” Corn said. "We need to make greater investments into health care for our children and elders; we need to make more investments into educating our young people; and we need to do more to reduce the high levels of poverty, hunger, and unemployment on our reservation. A casino and entertainment center in the City of Kenosha is the best path for our tribe to obtain the resources to help achieve those important goals."
(MORE)
Hard Rock Menominee Kenosha/Add One/July 20, 2022
He said that one change for the Hard Rock Kenosha project is that the size of the casino would be trimmed back to
reflect the increased number of gaming facilities in both Wisconsin and northern Illinois.
"The proposed project will not be as big as it was previously envisioned, but it will still create jobs and be
substantial. It will still be a Hard Rock brand and be an incredible addition to the community, the local and
regional economy, and the state," Corn said.
While previous plans called for the Menominee-Hard Rock entertainment center and casino to be built at the site
of the former Dairyland dog track, the new site being proposed is on land less than a mile away just west of the
interstate on about 60 acres of land in the City of Kenosha. The property was previously owned by the Village of
Bristol, and an option on it was recently purchased by Hard Rock.
Corn noted that because this is a different site, the project will have to develop a revised federal gaming
application as well as negotiate updated intergovernmental agreements.
"We are sincerely grateful for the positive working relationship we have had over the years with the City of
Kenosha, Kenosha County, the local business community, and the countless residents who have supported our
previous efforts," said Corn. "We look forward to re-engaging with the community as our talks with the City and
County take shape. We have always said it must be good for Kenosha to be good for Menominee, and we are
excited about getting the process started."
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About Hard Rock®:
About Hard Rock®: Hard Rock International (HRI) is one of the most globally recognized companies with
venues in over 70 countries spanning 253 locations that include owned/licensed or managed Hotels,
Casinos, Rock Shops®, Live Performance Venues and Cafes. HRI also launched a joint venture named
Hard Rock Digital in 2020, an online sportsbook, retail sportsbook and Internet gaming platform.
Beginning with an Eric Clapton guitar, Hard Rock owns the world's largest and most valuable collection
of authentic music memorabilia at more than 86,000 pieces, which are displayed at its locations around
the globe. In 2021, Hard Rock was honoured as one of Forbes Magazine's Best Employers for Diversity, a
Top Employer for Women and the Top Employer in the Travel & Leisure, Gaming, and Entertainment
Industry. Hard Rock was also designated as a U.S. Best Managed Company by Deloitte Private and The
Wall Street Journal and named the top performing hotel brand In J.D. Power's North America Hotel
Guest Satisfaction Study for the fourth consecutive year in 2022. The brand is owned by HRI parent
entity The Seminole Tribe of Florida. For more information on Hard Rock International,
visit www.hardrock.com or shop.hardrock.com.



Press Release 7.20.22 HRC.pdf





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