Wisconsin: Bristol Village officials greenlight $15M land sale linked to potential Hard Rock casino in Kenosha

Officials for the Village of Bristol, Wisconsin, have approved the $15 million sale of land to a company tied to Hard Rock International, with the potential goal of opening a casino in the city of Kenosha. The Bristol Village Board and the Community Development Authority greenlighted the transaction in a unanimous decision on Tuesday night.

While officials for Kenosha Landco Co. LLC have not officially said what they intend to use the land for, the company’s principal address is the same as the corporate offices for Hard Rock in Florida, which has led local media to speculate the move could be bringing a new tribal casino in the area one step closer.

The transaction involved 60 acres on the east and west sides of 122nd Avenue. While it is in Kenosha, it is owned by the village, reports Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Landco is set to pay more than $15 million to buy the property, and has now to do the work to get it approved by the city of Kenosha.

There have been multiple efforts to build a casino in Kenosha since tribal casinos were legalized in the 1990s due to the city’s proximity to Milwaukee and Chicago, recalls the cited source. This new move would mark the second time Hard Rock has tried to open a venue near the state border: the Menominee tribe attempted to develop a casino complex in Kenosha with Hard Rock as a partner, but then Gov. Scott Walker vetoed the legislation in 2015.

An ad for Hard Rock's failed 2015 casino project

Should it move forward with casino plans for the area, Hard Rock would have to partner up with a Wisconsin tribe for the project, given they are the only ones allowed to own such venues in the state. The tribe would then have to petition the federal government to place the land in trust -a process that could take years to complete- and ultimately the sitting governor would have the unilateral authority on whether to approve or veto the off-reservation casino.

The Bristol Village Board’s decision to approve a letter of intent to purchase the land has already proved to be a controversial one, reports CBS 58, which cites reports of angry residents calling on the board to be transparent about the project.

"This local community and the local government and even the state governor will have zero say in it, and as we know, these casinos have a lifespan," said Lorri Pickens of Citizens Against Expanded Gambling, according to CBS. Groups opposed to new gambling are expected to mobilize against the plan.

While opponents argue the opening of a casino could take business away from mom-and-pop shops and increase crime, proponents of the plan argue the move would help drive revenue to the area. "I believe it is the obligation of the Village Board to try and maximize the return on this investment," said Mike Farrell, Bristol Village president. 

Those in favor think a casino could help lower property taxes and improve infrastructure. But while the Village of Bristol owns the property because of a boundary agreement, the land is in Kenosha, meaning final approval must go through the city. 

On Wednesday, when asked if he would welcome a casino there, Kenosha’s mayor said the city is “waiting to see what happens” with the sale of the property, according to 12 News. The mayor further said that, at this point in time, Kenosha officials have not entered into any negotiations or conversations “in any specific way” with the casino.

The Kenosha area already has two casinos close by, in Milwaukee and a new one right over the border in Waukegan, Illinois. Additionally, Hard Rock also owns a casino in Rockford, Illinois; and the Ho-Chunk tribe plans to open an off-reservation casino in Beloit, Wisconsin.