|
 Still
want to try texas holdem poker, roulette, or craps at the Ho-Chunk
Casino? If so, you'll have to hurry. The tribe is pulling its new games
at midnight June 30, saying it would comply with the state Supreme
Court's ruling and shut down the expanded table games. The May 4 ruling
said the governor doesn't have the power to negotiate permanent gambling
compacts that add Las Vegas-style games.
Jayne Crom is a former blackjack dealer and a long-time patron at
the Ho-Chunk casino in Baraboo.
"I like to have extra things like roulette and craps; I like the
whole shebang," Crom said.
Crom said she's won a Hawaiian getaway and tons of money. But at
the end of the month, Crom and many others won't be able win big on
high-stake games like craps, roulette,
texas holdem
poker or carnival games.
In fact, many of the casino's current employees could end up
losing big.
"I have a few friends who were just trained for
texas holdem
poker and now they're going to lose their jobs," said Crom.
"They've been there for two weeks and now they're going to lose their
jobs."
The Baraboo Candy Company sits across the street from Ho-Chunk.
Storeowner Mike Ford said about 30 percent of his business is tied to
the casino.
"It's unfortunate; I thought a lot of hard work and effort went
into putting the compacts together," said Ford. "I thought it was a good
opportunity for both the tribe and the state of Wisconsin. It's
unfortunate it has come undone."
"I was just getting interested in the new games and now they're
going away, but I'll still, I go there all the time," Crom said.
It's not yet clear whether the Ho-Chunk's move will cause other
tribes to cancel
texas holdem poker and craps, too. It's also unknown
whether Ho-Chunk is preparing to withhold its payment to the state.
The Ho-Chunk and four other tribes owe the state money by June 30.
The Ho-Chunk's payment is $30 million. The Potowatomi in Milwaukee has
already said it'll withhold its payment of $40.5 million and keep its
games running. The Oneida will make its $20 million payment. But it's
not clear what the other tribes with compacts will do.
Eleven Wisconsin tribes have compacts that went into effect at the
beginning of the year. The combined payments would bring in $206 million
to the state. |
