Some key opponents of a Sedgwick County casino dismissed arguments that rejecting it here would just mean a casino would go next door in Sumner County. No one would make that size of an investment in rural Sumner County, they said. Yet Bob Knight’s group, which now includes casino giant MGM Mirage, filed its proposal with the state today. That plan (in photo) includes a 250-room hotel, a spa, golf course, and meeting and entertainment venues. Several competing proposals are expected from other groups.
It appears that the only way a casino isn’t coming to this area is if the Kansas Supreme Court rules that the state law is unconstitutional.
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
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39 Comments
Good.
Let them have the prostitution and crime and pawn shops.
An idiot attraction is not something you want in the middle of your hometown.
Casinos and lotteries are like taxes on stupid people.
All the Casino Groups are waiting on is the precise location of the Super Corridor, so they can have a State funded exit to their facilities.
Casinos - Where many must lose in order for a few to win.
I think the casino campaign had the wrong strategy.
In Goddard they are trying to pass another bond “for the children”
I see signs everywhere that say:
Vote Yes for the children.
I think if the casino people would have used signs like that the sheeple would have supported it.
Vote Yes! It’s for the children.
Next thing you know we would have had a casino with a school on the back end where children are taught all about how to be dealers, calculate pot odds, derive profit margins…
But what if we built a small coal plant inside the casino? Then all the Republicans would be in favor of it.
“Some key opponents of a Sedgwick County casino dismissed arguments that rejecting it here would just mean a casino would go next door in Sumner County. No one would make that size of an investment in rural Sumner County, they said.”
That was just about same logic thought of when Las Vegas magically appeared in the middle of a desert, years ago.
Ironically, one of my ancestors purchased ranch land in the 19th century on which the city of Las Vegas sets.
Kansas, did you get anything out that or was it squander off by a stupid relative?The reasons that I ask is my ancestors did owned the land where the riverwalk is in San Antonio.
The Casino was wanted by 70% of the population, but the other 30% was more organized. Iroically, it is probably going to cause a few “churches” to loose tax exempt status. Churches were coaching their members how to vote, giving them ballots, and then picking them up and driving them to the polls. If that doesn’t violate their tax exempt status, nothing does.
As far as the bad element that comes with a Casino, I don’t buy it. All around downtown you will see nothing but pawn shops, ratty hooker motels, bums walking the street, hookers, and shadey used car lots. It couldn’t get any worse!!
The argument is pointless, we lost out. As far as Sumner being too rural, that’s bull. It might be even better.
I was at the Prairie Band Casino last weekend, Capn. I didn’t see any prostitutes, crime or pawn shops.
Regardless of how one feels about gambling, it’s a lot like adult stores. Don’t like that? Don’t go in.
Well Wichi,
I do not like the adult stores, and when people have to drive by them with their kids in the car, it’s a hardship. Adult orientated is not bad, as in Victoria Secret etc… but the XXX signs, and pure porno shops are the skurge of this town! We have more of them per square mile than any other city I’ve ever been to!
Semper,I don’t frequent them either. I wasn’t advocating it, just using it as an example of something not everyone patronizes or agrees with. I’ve seen a lot of questionable billboards too. Point is, to each their own I guess.
Semper - the casino lost because its backers did such a lousy job. They also got mired in their own fiasco arena. Their loss was of their own making.
The RACINO narrowly lost, at least in part, because a number of casino supporters voted NO on the racino not wanting the competition.
As for XXX stores I would like to see restrictions on their signage to alleviate your (and my) issue with driving by with our kids.
Nathan,
You rattle on all the time about guns in hands of children if properly taught by parents.
Yet gambling is a force that’s too wild in the population, everyone surrenders to greed, skimming, other financial criminal actions. Parental guidance can’t guide children from entering those places.
Girls in bikinis are never shown with guns, right? Girls in bikini promote Casino’s.
Gun magazine full of alcohol and tobacco advertising. Those things in a Casino.
Life is all about children, what about adults choosing their lifestyle. The Right to..doesn’t apply here? People can control themselves in a casino.
I see no difference in a card dealer and gun seller. Casino can have bad intentions inside just a like gun store.
Minimum $350 Million dollars in investment and construction, CIVIC STUPID said No in Sedgwick County. Over 1,400 jobs created to run the Casino.
Cargill just had layoffs! There would have been hundreds of jobs created during the Casino construction. Accounting, paper pushers and office support.
City property could have been sold downtown. You don’t want the Hyatt off the City tax rolls? The Library building could have been sold.
There are restaurants in Casino’s that have nothing to do with gambling. There are entertainment shows with skilled labor required.
Service jobs of all kinds.
The pay should be pretty good better than working at Wal-Mart.
If someone gambles, they could have financial problems. If they go into a Casino to eat and see a show, its only entertainment money. Go in the Casino bar to watch sports. Don’t have to gamble in a Casino.
Just like guns, if properly supervised and taught rules of behaviour, going into Casino could be like safety on or trigger lock!
Clean the gun properly. Stay “clean” in a Casino is easily possible.
Guns are more dangerous and deadly than societal problems from a Casino.
Kansas, did you get anything out that or was it squander off by a stupid relative?The reasons that I ask is my ancestors did owned the land where the riverwalk is in San Antonio.
Posted by: Wiseman | November 13, 2007 at 02:03 PM
No unfortunately, I didn’t. It’s not a direct line ancestor anyway, a collateral line through marriage.
The rancher, my ancestor, evidently was a very good farmer, but a poor rancher and his land was purchased for “peanuts” when my ancestor became nearly bankrupt.
Mrage if you think they can build the multi million dollar casinos because people just come in to eat and view a show then I have some swampland in Arizona you might be interested in.
It will create jobs but I doubt it will pay better than Wal-Mart and without as many benefits.
Miami, Ok my hometown now has 8 casinos in close proximity to a town of 15,000. The town is growing because of it. They bring bus loads of Wichitans there weekly. New hotels have sprung up and they are rolling in the dough - so far.
Like everything else there is a saturation point. People enjoy casinos on a limited basis unless you have a problem. Will people fly into Wichita just to gamble. Probably not. Vegas and Reno will still be more appealing. Will there be societal problems with the casinos. It’s a proven fact, yes.
Isn’t growth fun?!!?
A casino proposal - working with Dodge City, Sumner or Potawatime (sp?). Sell hunting/casino packages to Chicago lawyers. These guys will spend big bucks to abg a big buck. Provide limo transportation from the airport to the resort. Provide the gun, guide, Jeep, etc. He can hunt all day; then come back to the hotel, shower and change, and spend more money at the slots/tables.
Add to that golf, spa, etc and you can get the family there.
Kansas has some of the best hunting in the country. Exploit that. Then maybe we CAN get people flying in to visit the casinos.
ksgrm,
I drive through Oklahoma most of the time without stopping. Its road travel early in the morning, midnight, those wee hours driving. I haven’t visited any of the gambling. Are they real Casino’s or just slot shops?
Our Casino legislation demands a resort the state will approve. Distance between the Casino’s is pretty wide.
Casino’s offer stuff to do but your right gambling is their business. The entice all who enter to gamble.
I’m so bent about that lost vote, I just might fly to Vegas instead of driving to Sumner County.
Drive to the airport is closer. I’ll lose less money gambling spending some on a plane ticket.
I don’t know long term, but to sit and watch the Casino in Sumner County get built bitterly.Someone will have to take me there the first time. I can’t willingly do it.
We had the opportunity and lies were spread. Century II was going to be sold and turned into a Casino. Corporations threatened to move out of downtown for spite.
Cargill boss threatened to move suggesting they had money for it, but had to lay off people, so that’s false. Who knows about those banks and other corporate Presidents, few businesses can just pack up and move! What if those employees didn’t want to move from downtown! CEO’s and Presidents almost threating their employees they better vote No.
Business can exist near a Casino. Streets wouldn’t be over run with criminals either.
Downtown, hookers, drug dealers and gangs near Century II every night, interfering with those going to see the Symphony on the sidewalks.
That kind of lie was spread around.
Millions of dollars of investment money sent to another County is terrible!
Mrage - “It’s frankly becoming, TOO BAD FOR YOU being upset about the Casino”
The Casino was not defeated; it just plain lost. For a set of reasons I posted BEFORE the vote.
Don’t like lies Mrage?
“Start a fire and burn that casino paperwork when it gets colder.”
You sure love lies when they come from YOUR side. That is why the casino lost!
“I’m so bent about that lost vote, I just might fly to Vegas instead of driving to Sumner County.”
Which means you will spitefully deny revenues to Sedgwick County.
Went to visit folks in Ark City last weekend. Drove by the new casino(s) a mile south of town in OK. They just doubled the size of the parking lot to hold about 4000 cars..still not enough. So what do they do..? They start building a SECOND CASINO. And we are hearing there is plans for a Harrahs Hotel to come in.
They are going to have to build a new highway intersection to control the flow…of your local money going down there by the thousands.
Wait till the big new mainstream one hits Mulvane. Its likely the Waterwalk will have to become some type of Religious theme park, since all the fun people with money will be out of town. Without a draw for the WaterWalk - and NO, Gander Mountain is NOT A DRAW. It will likely go belly up soon anyway and you will end up with a fancy eyesore like the Wild West fiasco.
Unless this city bellies up to the bar and coordinates all entertainment venues into the city and quits this nonsense about placing stuff all around in the county in a scattershot pattern you will have exactly NOTHING.
The astounding lack of leadership on the Casino vote here should result in a lot of heads rolling next vote time since all your money has been given to another area.
The Casino in Mulvane will be the new destination and not much left here.
I disagree mrbill. We can have other distinct entertainment venues here in the City - notably the arts. However i do think the arena and other similar things will suffer.
You are correct; the lack of a coordinated vision has hurt immeasurably. And the big-shot casino supporters should take a good hard look in the mirror and ask why they lost.
Ben,
We’re not getting or civic desires on either side! The goal should be prosperity in this community.
Civic projects paying for themselves. Upgrading failing civic buildings to better attract events.
The evils of gambling are less than the positives coming those Casino plans.
The Racino was less than a full Casino we needed. You didn’t like downtown, I hated the dog track area for that kind of development.
We were out voted in Bel Aire where everyone seemingly voted No on both questions.
The lies told about Century II were wrong to promote. That’s my biggest complaint. CEO’s and their anti Casino statements, using their companies to threaten.
They weren’t just personally negative, they had to involve their whole company image into it.
That’s wrong!
The City Council and Mayor Brewer waffling on the topic is baffling.
Brewer might have done it out of spite, because he wasn’t involved with the Canadians Casino planning prior to becoming Mayor.
When asked if he supported the Canadians plan, as Mayor he said No.
He had no prior public opinion those many months Canadians walked into City Hall. His election as Mayor had backers who were anti-Casino.
He argued about sidewalks cost were prohibitive or underground pipes downtown, bunch of nonsense.
That didn’t stop WaterWalk from being built. WaterWalk not wanting it next door. So what!
City not wanting to sell the Hyatt makes no financial sense! It would have been improved much better than what City is planning to remodel some rooms and the restaurant. It could have been sold at a huge markup.
The Library building sold and they want to move. That building corner of Douglas and Main bought, it just rots standing there.
State might have chosen Park City, but I doubt it for a Casino.
Bob Knight didn’t have MGM on board like now! Maybe back then, his plan would have been accepted better.
They really couldn’t promote location of their Casino without buying the properties.
Voters upset they didn’t know where Casino would be placed excuse to vote No.
We needed a new Arena and the County hasn’t overspent the tax collected yet. They haven’t provided what the money can do either. We’ll see what the County pays for.
The City wants to control parking in that zone and you can’t tell them not to do it!
“The City wants to control parking in that zone and you can’t tell them not to do it!”
I’m fully aware of that. They can and will lie all they want. That is why the casino failed.
County promised to include parking in the 184.5. County lied. People like you say it’s good that County lied. That is why your casino failed. YOU lost it. Kahrs et.al. didn;t defeat it.
Have fun in Vegas. I hope your spiteful trip bankrupts you.
“Civic projects paying for themselves”
Like your arena? HA!
Oh…taxes trough the roof, high crime, we’ll loose Century II, all lies. But who’s laughing now? Not the folks in Sumner Country. Their making all the money we passed up over a few uptight over zealous preachers. Yes Wichita, once again we made fools of ourselves.As for people who fear their children seeing XXX signs on windows, your ignorance is proof that stupid people should not reproduce. And we wonder why young adults can’t wait to leave this town when they get out of high school? HA HA
Build it. Long overdue. It is your money and you ought to have the right to gamble if you want. Just don’t cry to me when you lose it!
To get in the Sumner County casino you will have to show id. If you are from ‘nanny town’ you can’t get in. Be a good law.
I think another reason the casino lost in Sedgwick county is only 2 possible locations were discussed downtown and Park City — any discussion (at least here on the blog) about alternative sites were dismissed (i.e. Mrage and Joe) —- many thought a casino downtown would ruin downtown — it’s the reason I voted against it —-
ken - yes, that was a BIG reason the casino proponents blew it. They never presented us with a vision we would buy into. And, as I have noted before, they tarred themselves with their connection to the unpopular arena. Especially when they would say things like “It’s OK that we lied to you about the arena but now you should trust us to make decisions about a casino.”
Sorry guys, that dog don’t hunt.
I for one had a GREAT vacation in Vegas in 99. Took the ex-wife and kids. My gambling budget was $200, and I came back $100 up. I know how to gamble. Slowely, steadily, and I enjoyed it. If I’d lost my $200, it would be the end of trying. I hit the max jackpot on a nicle machine, and thought I was a millionaire for a minute. It turned out 5000 nickles isn’t that much money!
Their was so much to do in Vegas. Back then, you could go into the Hoover Dam. The shows, the attractions! The food! Water parks, and pools! It isn’t as cheap as it used to be, but it’s still way under market value. I find it interesting that prices are creeping up in Vegas, because so many people are like me, they don’t throw around much money on the tables and machines, so they have to charge more for the frills.
If the Casino would have gone downtown, it would have worked best for enhancing the community. I fear being in the middle of nowhere is going to make it a single purpose shop. Gambling!
Semper - I don’t think so. I think that in order to differentiate itself from all the ‘pole barns’ the Sumner facility might just go the full-service resort route. And, being closer to many people in Sedgwick County than downtown would be, it can employ many Sedgwick County residents.
…. a little bit of I told you so, I brought up the idea of a resort hotel casino w a golf course ala lodge of the Four seasons just west of the airport using Auburn Hills as the resaort course (Im sure a deal could have been struck with the city) — much like what is being proposed near Mulvane — makes it closer for me to see a good show get a good meal ——– and my property value will go up —- thanks Sedgwick County
Very true ken. And there were a couple more similar locations bandied about. Unfortunately the ‘downtown-only’ crowd destroyed that.
Ken,
None of the developers leaked ideas about that west side of Wichita location.
Downtown is preferable in Sedgwick County.
Did you vote No for the Casino, because of the Century II location idea?
Voted No because you didn’t want to be in Park City at a Casino?
It doesn’t matter what your Racino vote was.
You voted No giving up the opportunity of a Casino in Sedgwick County just because the west side wasn’t thought of as a Casino location?
We weren’t choosing a location, only allowing the Casino idea to happen here.
Too many DUMB CIVIC PEOPLE rejected the development somewhere in this County. The plans had to qualify and best location to be picked by Topeka.
People said No to downtown, like Ben did, which makes no sense!
That wasn’t the question we voted on!
I hope you voted Yes on the Casino and that regrettably failed. It is too bad for us.
“Downtown is preferable in Sedgwick County.”
That attitude is what defeated your casino. Downtown is NOT preferable.
“We weren’t choosing a location, only allowing the Casino idea to happen here.”
True - and that uncertainty helped defeat it. You told be I should trust liars.
“It’s frankly becoming, TOO BAD FOR YOU being upset about the Casino”
Ben,
Admit your enjoying screwing County and City government out of spite because of the Arena.
So you proudly helped defeat a Casino discussion to happen in Sedgwick County. We weren’t picking location in that vote!
So there it is, lies were told about the Century II location and downtown CEO’s too much pressure on employees, threatening to move businesses.
They were picking location stupidly. If Bob Knight had MGM on board back then, who knows, downtown ideas might not have won.
Your No on Casino’s rejected conversation and to me that’s pitiful for someone who truly knows what’s up on these kinds of votes.
Ruining Millions of Dollars of private investment money being spent in the County because of spite!
Hate the tax raises but lets accept private investment money being spent here!
That vote will hurt Sedgwick County and Wichita for a long time.
Mrage - I never did anything to defeat discussion. In fact, I also did rather little to defeat the Casino at all - YOU did that. I did not campaign against your casino. And you proudly screwed the county by voting agaginst slots and now say you will further screw the county by going to Vegas instead of the local casino. Remember, Sedgwick gets 1% there and our residents will work there.
Spite? Look in the mirror Mrage!
Face it Mrage - you people just plain lost. You lost because of your arrogance. YOU HAVE NOBODY TO BLAME BUT YOURSELVES!
“It’s frankly becoming, TOO BAD FOR YOU being upset about the Casino”