Lucky Red Casino
/News/

Kansas Lottery Commission Extends Deadline for Casino Plans

Over criticisms from Cherokee County, the Kansas Lottery Commission has agreed to extend the deadline for the submission of the proposal of Crawford County to build a casino in the southeast corner of Kansas.

Crawford County commented that developer Heart of the Balkans Gaming Corporation needs more time to finish the proposal. The commission changed the deadline in a four-one vote from September 6th, 2007 to December 6th, 2007.

Cherokee said that it is unfair because Penn National Gaming Incorporated's casino proposal will be finished by the original deadline of the commission. Cherokee County also said that the Quapaw Tribe of Oklahoma has begun construction of their $200 million casino in the state line and a delay of three months can cause a disadvantage for Cherokee and Penn National Gaming.

The law permitting casinos also allows slot machines to be offered at the Woodlands horse and dog racing track and at a similar facility in Frontenac in Crawford County.

It also allows for slot machines in Wichita Greyhound Park but the voters in Sedgwick County dismissed the slots proposal along with the casino. Extending the deadline until December could give those groups and individuals considering constructing a casino for Sedgwick County to consider building in southeast Kansas.

With the dismissal of the voters, Sumner County is lone candidate for a casino establishment in the south central zone. Chairman Harold Nye of Hays said that the commission made the right call. The commission also extended the deadline of Ford County to 90. It also gave the same extension to the Wyandotte County, giving the county until December 31st, 2007 to give the commission its casino proposal.

After the decision of the commission, David Cooper, who is the lawyer for Cherokee County, said that they are going to convince Penn National Gaming to submit their casino proposal before the September 6th, 2007 deadline. They have absolutely no doubt that Penn National can measure up to any casino proposal by Crawford County and defeat them.

The lottery's executive director, Ed Van Petten said that the commission could study the proposal after it is given to them but no decisions could be made until December 6th, 2007. After the commission studies the contracts, it will pass the information to the selection committee which will make the choice. Van Petten said that it will take three years before a casino can fully operate in Kansas.

When the legislature passed expanded gambling this year, it allowed a casino in each of the four zones, the Wyandotte County, Ford County, Sedgwick and Sumner Counties and Crawford or Cherokee Counties. With Sedgwick Voters voting against the casino plans, Crawford and Cherokee are the two remaining counties that are hoping to build a casino in the same zone.

Rep. Doug Gatewood, a Democrat form Columbus petitioned the commissioners to not extend the deadline and allow Cherokee County to submit their casino proposal next month. Commissioner Michael Gayoso Jr. from Pittsburg said that the main agenda should be picking a location that will give the most revenue to the state.

Heart of the Balkans lawyer Stephen Joseph said that the developers began studying the project after the gambling law was passed in April. The gambling law requires each casino to have the minimum investment of $225 million dollars except for Ford County, where it's only $50 million dollars.

The casino facilities also must pay the state $25 million dollars privilege fee, except for Ford County where the privilege fee is $5.5 million dollars. The Kansas Lottery will own the casino but private companies will construct and operate the casinos.

Attorney General Paul Morrison, acting on Gov. Kathleen Sebelius' request, plans to file a lawsuit to test the constitutionality of the casino plans.

 

Monday, September 17 , 2007
Victor Copeland