Concerns Growing Over Wyandotte, Kansas Casino Proposal

People in the state of Kansas have grown accustomed to an unusual casino application process. That is why it came as no surprise to many Kansas residents when the Kansas Lottery Gaming Facility Review Board indicated Tuesday that it may not accept the only proposal for a casino in Wyandotte County, Kansas.

This is the second time around the bidding process for a casino in Wyandotte County. In fact, the entire state approved four state-owned casinos several years ago, and only one of the four zones had their application process succeed the first time around.

The other three zones all had developers reach deals with the state, only to back out when the economy collapsed in the US. Penn National not only backed out of their deal, but they actually re-submitted a new proposal with less commitment to Kansas the second time around.

On Tuesday, Board Chairman Matt All set the record straight immediately regarding the one proposal for Wyandotte County. "This board is not going to be a rubber stamp," said All.

The members of the board then proceeded to question applicants about the proposal for the Hollywood Casino at Village West. The board was concerned that phase two of the project may never become reality.

Phase one of the project would be the building of the casino. Phase two, however, could be the important part, a 250-room hotel. That would allow the casino to attract customers from outside of the immediate area.

The decision on the Wyandotte proposal is expected to come down in December. The people of Kansas will not be holding their breaths in anticipation, they have seen proposals come this far before, only to die. This time, they can only hope that the state is finally serious about bringing a casino to their county.

September 18, 2009
Posted By April Gardner
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com
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