By Joanna Salmen, City Editor

In recent weeks, controversy has surrounded the Ho-Chunk Nation and its proposal to transform the DeJope bingo hall into a casino.

According to Lisa Pugh, a spokesperson for the Coalition for the Fair Indian Gaming and Revenue and Sharing Agreements, the Ho-Chunk Nation is in negotiations with the city and county officials. In exchange for the casino, the Nation would pay the city $46 million and the county $45 million in the next 13 years.

“We have lots of people behind us,” Pugh said, adding that the support is broad and diverse. “We have gotten an excellent response from the community.”

However, many fear the negative effects of a casino will overshadow the money the Nation is offering.

David Relles, spokesperson for the group No Dane Casino, said the community might not realize all the effects a casino could bring.

Relles said No Dane Casino would like a local study to be conducted highlighting the effects a casino could have on the community. He said after studies were conducted in Omaha and San Antonio, those communities rejected casino proposals. Relles said a similar study would likely yield comparable results in Madison.

According to Pugh, the Ho-Chunk Nation will be spending as much as $140,000 on television commercials until the Feb. 17 referendum, when the public will vote on the fate of the bingo hall.

The Nation has plenty of money to campaign for the casino, which worries Relles. He fears efforts against the casino will fall short because of a lack of funds. Relles said his campaign has purchased billboards featuring the campaign’s slogan, “CasiNO,” and will also distribute buttons and pamphlets that will warn the public about the potential negative impacts of a casino in Madison. He said they have received support from the community but not nearly enough.

Bob D’Angelo, president of the Overture Center, has plans to distribute a letter to the community about the effects the casino may have on Madison.

D’Angelo’s letter warns the community that the future of theaters, like the Overture Center, will be in danger if the casino is approved. The Ho-Chunk Nation has reserved the right to build a venue containing as many as 3,000 seats, which may potentially take away business from other Madison sites. The Ho-Chunk Nation said it has no plans to build such a venue in the next 24 months but refuses to give up the right to do so.

“We have to give the Ho-Chunk Nation credit,” Pugh said. “They do not have to negotiate or share their revenues.” Pugh added that the Nation would like to help the community, especially in the midst of the statewide budget crisis.

“If the vote were held today, we might not win,” D’Angelo said. “But it isn’t. We still have time to do this.”

The vote will be held Feb. 17, on the same ballot as the presidential primaries.