Industry News
That payment is $12 million less than the state thought it was owed, but the deal was praised Wednesday as the end of a long court fight that left lingering questions about the health of the budget.
"With this compact, we can now put these disputes behind us and work together in the future," said Department of Administration Secretary Michael Morgan.
The state will spend $1.5 million from the $60 million to cover attorneys' fees to the firm that worked the case. Going forward the tribe agreed to pay the state 5 percent on winnings - after payout - at its casinos that are below $350 million. Anything above that and payment to the government will be 5.5 percent.
Under the old compact, the tribe would have paid a 6 percent tax on its earnings. Under deals the state has with other tribes operating casinos, the Potawatomi make payments at 6.5 percent of winnings and the Oneida pay 4.5 percent, increasing to 5.5 percent when winnings are above $350 million.
The Ho-Chunk operates casinos offering Las Vegas-style games in Baraboo, Black River Falls, Nekoosa and Tomah. A new casino is opening next month in Wittenberg.
It also runs a bingo parlor in Madison. The new deal can be renegotiated after 25 years.
"While neither the Ho-Chunk Nation nor the state got everything we asked for, we are happy that this matter has come to a long anticipated conclusion," said Ho-Chunk Nation President Wilfrid Cleveland.
 |
© Copyright 2008 Online Casino Crawler This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
