Gambling looks pretty dead under the dome at the moment, with Senate leaders’ preferred bill having failed in that chamber last week. But William N. Thompson, a professor of public administration at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas, gave senators some things to think about in testimony Tuesday, as he recommended allowing tribal-owned casinos in border communities to maximize state revenue and minimize negative social effects.
“Slot machines do not attract visitors,” he said.
And this: “Get it out of your mind that you don’t want to be Las Vegas. If you’re going to have casinos, you want to be like Las Vegas . . . hotel rooms, top quality dining . . . entertainment every day. Do you want a Bellagio or a filling station with a bunch of (slot) machines?”
At the moment, of course, Kansas lawmakers want neither.
Posted by Rhonda Holman
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11 Comments
They have a point. I’m not a gaming person. I actually have never stepped a foot inside the Greyhound Park.
But on “Ask Your Legislator”, Phil Journey made some really good comments about expanded gaming in Kansas. About the lottery and how the state spends over a million dollars to encourage people to play lottery, and etc.
Journey said that having a few state ran casinos and some slots at the race track was fine, but they want it that there is no expansion beyond that.
He said the bills on expanding gaming are too vauge and allows the potential of expansion. They don’t want Casinos in every county, but a solid limit.
The moratorium on expansion, especially for South Central Kansas is what killed the bill he said. They want no potential in expansion beyond two casinos and slots at race tracks. No 5 years, 10 years, but none ever beyound the 2 and the slots.
He said if the Bill was crafted that way it would pass.
Get real. Having some slot machines does not make another Las Vegas. Check out some other states like Louisiana or Mississippi. There are some stand alone, “destination” casinos in northern Mississippi that try to attract gamblers from Memphis, but another Vegas?
Or, go to South Dakota and stop in one of the “casinos” which is nothing more than a bar with a few video card machines.
Having a few slots or “gaming” devices or tables does not create a Las Vegas clone.
You’re right Raptor. I went to that Native Lights Casino down by Newkirk Oklahoma, the same that advertises on TV and billboards here, but I was there to set up equipment.
That place is very small for what I would think a casino would be. They have what looks to be about 4 card tables and the rest is slots. They have a bar and a snack bar, what you would probably expect from a bowling alley.
That’s it. It’s all in a building about the size of Barnes & Nobles store.
Joe – the thing is that apparently a lot of people will travel to Native Lights and to the Harrahs north of Topeka. I have visited that one once and at least it seemed to share the glitz of a “real” casino. Wasn’t there long enough to see just what they had in the line of games, food, or entertainment. However, it was a mid-week day and it seemed to be pretty busy.
My question is why our local reps keep blocking it when it is clear the people want tham. Of course, Harrahs doesn’twant the competition … and is willing to pay big bucks to protect teir monopoly.
Who are the ‘local reps’? Brenda Landwehr? Phil Journey?
Bonnie Huy, Les Donovan, Phil Journey, Joe McCleland, etc
Thanks, Ben. Didn’t they get money from the northeast corridor tribes? Sedgwick County Commissioners sent a memorandum to Gov and legislators stating they would support/fund a vote in Sedgwick County. Seems like the only officials blocking progress is our state legislators.
I really do not know why Kansas, especially Wichita, can’t become the entertainment capitol of the midwest. To the west you have Vegas (and nothing compares to Vegas) and to the east you have Atlantic City. People from all over the world come to both places. The city of Vegas reported a 30 billion dollar profit for 2005. 9 billion of that was from gambling revenue, the rest from entertainment, food lodging, etc. etc. If the state of Kansas would make it possible, we could have a slice of that pie. Every day planes, trains, buses, even limos leave Wichita for gambling destinations. The casino at Newkirk is at best pitiful, but the parking lot is full of Sedgewick co. plates. Kansas needs to let the Ruffins, and the Knights, and Park city build. But let them build BIG. The bigger the better. Folks from all over Kansas, and once the word was out, the rest of the nation would beat a path to Wichita to spend their money. Let them build 3-5 destination casinos and watch it change the face of Kansas in less than 3 yrs.
Justoneman, before you think about entertaining that idea, I suggest you visit Alantic City. You might change your mind.
Las Vegas is much more than just Casinos. It’s all about entertainment. People go there to check out Celine Dion and Elton John and all other shows.
I have a friend that went to Vegas four times in the last two years, he told me that he never spent one dollar on gambling. He went there for the entertainment, food, and a good time.
You don’t need casinos to attract people. Casinos are popular, but other forms of entertainment are even more so. More people go to Disney World, Universal Stuidos and amusement parks than any casino does.
Wichita is trying to do things right with the Wild West World and Old Cowtown. Yes I know they are not near exciting as a casino, but lots of people around the world still love the old wild west theme. Just look at how many people go to Branson every year.
But we also shouldn’t focus so much on entertainment either. Business in any form should be encourage.
Hey Joe; Never been to Atlantic city, but I do know it was pretty much used up before the casinos arrived. Been to Vegas often. I have family there, and you are right. It is the entertaiment factor that draws people there. When I here of someone going for the first time, I try to tell them to take the first 4 days and go see the “stuff”, then gamble if you wish. I go to gamble, but that is what I enjoy doing. I do know one thing. Any destination casino going into Wichita will NOT need any special funding from the city to make it work.
Like some of you fine folks, I don’t go to Vegas to gamble, I go for the entertainment. But you have to admit without the casinos, there would be no entertainment. The casinos were what originally drew the people, entertainment was there for them between long bouts of gambling. The entertainment industry there has grown into being a destination of its own today, but Vegas would never have been Vegas without the casinos.
Wichita would be fine without casinos, I can agree with that. But if we are going to have gambling, we need to do it right. I’m sick of the mentality in this city/state of doing things halfway. Putting slot machines at the dog track will attract no one. Then when that fails, the gambling opposition will stand proudly and say “I told you so.” I’m very relieved dog track slots failed.
Let’s do this right or not do it at all. If we can’t have true resort casinos here, then let’s not have slot machines. It’s better we bleed our own money to other states than to lose tax money on an idea doomed to failure.
In the meantime, we really need to work on our habit of settling for mediocrity.