MADISON (AP) -- The Ho-Chunk Nation's proposal to expand a bingo hall into a casino would eliminate the 1,200-seat bingo hall to make room for hundreds of slot machines.

Dane County residents will vote in a Feb. 17 referendum on expanded gambling at DeJope Bingo Hall, allowing games such as slot machines, blackjack, poker and roulette.

If the referendum is approved and Gov. Jim Doyle authorizes a casino, the bingo hall will be replaced with 600 to 1,000 slot machines, said Gerald Cleveland, a tribal legislator for Ho-Chunk.

Eventually, table games such as blackjack and poker might be added, Cleveland said, but the first expansion will be strictly slot machines.

Half of the hall's main bingo floor was electronically wired for slots when DeJope opened in Madison in 1999, Ho-Chunk officials said.

So far, there is no master floor plan or cost estimate for converting DeJope into a casino, said Jim Webster, executive director of business for the Ho-Chunk. The tribe is waiting until the results of the referendum, he said.

The $8 million DeJope is one of the tribe's four gambling operations in the state. Bingo will continue at the Wisconsin Dells, Black River Falls and Nekoosa casinos.

The 80,000-square-foot DeJope now only allows bingo and electronic bingo-style games. It's one of the largest bingo halls in the area and is open every day but Tuesdays.

Between 400 and 600 people primarily over the age of 45 play bingo at DeJope, Cleveland said.

Faye Kaltenberg of Waunakee is a regular and said she would be disappointed if bingo ends.

"It's a social thing. My husband and I go," Kaltenberg said. "But I would go up to Ho-Chunk (in the Wisconsin Dells) to play."