Wisconsin Casino Options Extended

As reported by the Beloit Daily News: "A year ago Beloit city officials hoped they had extended a purchasing option on land for a proposed casino for the last time.

"But another year has passed, and still the city awaits approval from the Bureau of Indian Affairs, necessitating another extension of the agreement with Rockford developer Kurt Carlson.

"The council voted Tuesday to amend for a fourth time Carlson's option to purchase 98.6 acres of land from the city. Carlson holds a development agreement with the Bad River Band of Lake Superior and St. Croix Chippewa and the city for the development of the casino.

"The city has had to extend the option to purchase the land three times since it was granted in June of 2000, as the tribe's application for an off-reservation casino has been idling in a lengthy approval process. The application is still at the Bureau of Indian Affairs regional office in Fort Snelling, Minn. with officials there indicating it could be sent to Washington in a matter of weeks. The property located to the west of I-90 consists of three separate parcels. The updated option will increase the price of parcel 9 to $39,500 per acre and parcel 11 to $39,500 per acre. That's an increase from $30,000 per acre last year…"