On November 15, 1994, the Minneapolis Area Office of the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) transmitted the application of the Sokaogon Chippewa Community of Wisconsin, the Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin, and the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin (collectively referred to as the "Tribes") to place a 55acre parcel of land located in Hudson, Wisconsin, in trust for gaming purposes. The Minneapolis Area Director recommended that the decision be made to take this particular parcel into trust for the Tribes for gaming purposes. Following receipt of this recommendation and at the request of nearby Indian tribes, the Secretary extended the period for the submission of comments concerning the impact of this proposed trust acquisition to April 30, 1995. The property, located in a commercial area in the southeast corner of the City of Hudson,. Wisconsin, is approximately 85 miles from the boundaries of the Lac Courte Oreilles Reservation, 165 miles from the boundaries of the Red Cliff Reservation, and 188 miles from the boundaries of the Sokaogon Reservation. The St. Croix Band of Chippewa Indians, one of the eight Wisconsin tribes (not including the three applicant tribes), is located on a reservation within the 50-mile radius used by the Minneapolis Area Director to determine which tribes can be considered "nearby Indian tribes within the meaning of Section 20 of the Indian Gaming Finally, even if the factors discussed above were insufficient to support our determination under Section 20(b)(1)(A) of the IGRA, the Secretary would still rely on these factors, including the opposition of the local communities, state elected officials and nearby Indian tribes, to decline to exercise his discretionary authority, pursuant to Section 5 of the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934, 25 U.S.C. 465, to acquire title to this property in Hudson, Wisconsin, in trust for the Tribes. This decision is final for the Department. THANK YOU. ކތކ 3/14 Mike Chapman -review Indian Gaming for mailing Document provided pursuar to Congressional subpoena 7/10 - Jona: please let me know as soon as the bitter are signed. They should be faxed that they out to the Ribes, so EXHIBIT ΚΑ אג No Casino Favoritism To the Editor: William Safire (column, Dec. 31) jumps to erroneous conclusions as to why the Interior Department denied the application by three Wisconsin tribes to establish a casino 85 to 188 miles from their reservation. It was the right decision, made for the right reasons, and I have told the truth about it. This department does not force off-reservation casinos upon unwilling communities. City councils of the towns of Hudson and Troy, as well as three senators from both political parties, seven Minneso ta members of Congress, the Republican Governor of Wisconsin and many others opposed the casino. Mr. Safire opines that Harold M. Ickes "caused heat to be put on me to deny the application. The facts, spread across a voluminous record, prove otherwise. I did not participate in the decision, and as I have said in sworn testimony, I have never spoken to Mr. Ickes - nor to anyone else at the White House or the Democratic Na tional Committee – about this matter. SUBJECT: Request for Off-Reservation Gaming for Land in Hudson, Wisconsin On March 4, 1994, the Sokaogon Chippewa Community of Wisconsin, the Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin and the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin (collectively referred to as the "Tribes"), together, pursuant to Section 2719(b) of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, 25 U.S.C. §§• 2701-2721 (1988), filed an application with the Minneapolis Area Director requesting that the United States take a certain parcel of real property located in Hudson, Wisconsin, into trust for the benefit of the Tribes for gaming purposes. The Tribes do not currently own the property, but they have an agreement to purchase the land if and when the Secretary of the Interior makes the findings necessary under Section 2719, the Governor concurs in the Secretary's findings, the steps necessary to place the land into trust have been completed, the National Indian Gaming Commission approves the management contract and collateral agreements and the Tribes have amended their gaming compacts of 1991 to permit the operation of pari-mutuel greyhound racing. This memorandum outlines the Minneapolis Area Office's review and analysis of the Tribe's application and transmits; (1) the Area Director's Findings and Recommendations, (2) the comments of the Field Solicitor, Twin Cities, and (3) the Documentary Support required for the Secretary's Determination concerning the request for off-reservation gaming on proposed Trust Acquisition of the Tribes. L APPLICATION INFORMATION A. Sokaogon Tribe: The Sokaogon Chippewa Community of Wisconsin occupy a small reservation in Forest County, Wisconsin with the central community in Mole Lake. There |