Kansas Finally Sees First Casino Project Break Ground

When it comes to casino gambling, the state of Kansas has a lot to learn. The first thing they needed to learn was how to keep their casino developers from running for cover.

Of the four casino contracts that were awarded in Kansas, three of the developers pulled out of their agreements after the economy took a turn for the worst. The fourth, Butler National Corp., has given the state something to get excited about.

On Monday, the developers broke ground on their new casino that will be located in Dodge City. The occasion had all parties involved overjoyed. "I'm very excited. It has been so long," said President of Boot Hill Gaming, Jeff Thorpe.

Harrah's Entertainment, Penn National, and Sumner, have all pulled out of their deals to operate the other three casinos in the state. The bidding will now be re-opened for Cherokee, Wyandotte, and Sumner counties.

There is no shortage of companies that would like to run casinos in the state of Kansas. "The problem the first time around was that the state took too long in deciding who would be awarded the contracts. With the economy worsening in the US, they had better not make that mistake again," said observer Timothy Sheppard.

The Dodge City casino is expected to bring the state about $40 to $60 million a year. The construction of the casino is expected to be done in two phases. The first will cost a projected $45 million, the second $42.5 million.

December 24, 2008
Posted By Larry Rutherford
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com
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