Court hearing about Beloit casino project canceled

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BELOIT (WREX) - A scheduled court hearing about a plan to build a casino in Beloit doesn't happen.

A court of appeals was scheduled to hear oral arguments about a lawsuit filed by the St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin Friday. Instead, the appeals court said it wouldn't need oral arguments and instead would make a decision based on hearings already part of the court record.

In January of 2008, the rules governing the approval of off reservation casino applications under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act were changed. The lawsuit is challenging those rule changes.

Representative Tammy Baldwin believes those rule changes were put into place by former Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne, who she says personally opposes off reservation gaming.

Baldwin has written a letter to new Interior Secretary Ken Salazar asking him to reconsider the Beloit casino application, pointing out the importance of creating new jobs during these tough economic times.

Currently Beloit has the highest unemployment rate in the state of Wisconsin.

The Beloit casino plan would create hundreds of new jobs.

Voters in Beloit approved the idea of building a casino back in 2000. Supporters say the area needs those new jobs.

Beloit Casino Project Public Relations Director Joseph Hunt says argument in this case has been avoided for too long.

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