The city of Mulvane’s stringlike annexations aimed at cashing in on future casino profits defy common sense. But they don’t merit legislative action, especially not retroactive action. As often as possible, land-use issues should be municipal and county issues. The frustration of state Rep. Vincent Wetta, D-Wellington, is understandable: He fought to get Sumner County into the casino game and fears Wellington will be passed over for more profitable sites to its north. The House went Wetta’s way Tuesday in passing his amendment aimed at stopping Mulvane’s stringlike annexations, but the Senate should ensure that the Legislature stays out of Sumner County’s fight.
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9 Comments
Hey Rhonda:
Can you do me a favor? I spoke on the telephone with former Mayor Bob Knight 2 1/2 weeks ago. Bob told me that attorney, Ross Hollander, law partner of Tiller abortion attorney, is no longer an invetment partner with Knight, Joseph & Rip Gooch in the MGM casino. Knight told me that Hollander wanted to drop out of the project because his wife is against casino gambling. If this lead checks out, I think that there is a much bigger story here. Please ask one of you reporters to follow up and call the former mayor to confirm and then get back with me. I kept a copy of this blog post and e-mal it to Bob Corkins with a copy to Pam & Sherry in the event you decide to censor it. Thanks again to the Eagle for recognizing the importance of having a blog to promote free speech.
Bill McKean
kiakahahaha@yahoo.com
293-6079
Sorry to disagree Rhonda. When big towns pick on smaller towns, who is to stop them. The courts? I dont think so, given the length of time it takes the courts to respond. The damage will be done and irreversable when the courts finally get around to thinking about a hearing.
Nope. When bullies like Russell and Hays wanna suck up all the water in an entire REGION just so they can water their golf courses with treated water…
Smaller counties like Ness, Trego, Rush, Gove, etc. MUST have a way for timely redress, or even preventative action.
Otherwise?
The biggest bully wins. Just ask the folks who live near Cedar Bluff or the Smoky in Ellis county. And even THEY have an end run around the legislature. It’s called governor “leadership”.
Rhonda, I have to disagree with your premise. This type of action is absolutely the appropriate response to those from outside a county trying to influence a county matter. The retroactive nature of this legislation ensures that the County Commission will not be trumped by the dotofaspot group in a ‘hick come lately’ move to try to garner the residual growth that will inherently come with development. With a dotofaspot location, and you can mark my words on this, all of that residual development will be NORTH of the SU/SG county line. Whereas, with the Wellington location, alreday approved by the County Commission, all of that residual development will be entirely within the county. That means NO lost tax base revenue just because the associated businesses were ‘built on the other side of the road’. What Hixon, Ford, and the rest of the dotofaspot gang are trying to do with this ‘string annexation’ is circumvent the legal authority of the County Commission to make the decisions that they were elected to preside over. Legally what they are trying to perform an island annexation, which would require the approval of the County Commission. An approval that they know they will be denied.
Better questions would be; Exactly how many members of the ‘city’ council have Sumner County residency? Who owns that SG County land ‘on the other side of the road’, from the dotofaspot locations? And finally, how much in attorney fees is the ‘city’ council paying to defend this folly-like action?
This is not a big town/little town issue. I’d put a shiny nickel on the fact that this is a greed issue by more than a few SG county residents trying to cash in on the hopes of a dotofaspot location, and the residual development that will come with it.
They better hurry, the site a mile South of Ark City across the state line just laid the foundation for the FOURTH casino on the Chilocco Indian school. They have close to 10,000 acres there to play with.
New hotel getting ready to go up to Im hearing…so the whole complex may be bigger than this one by the time they get done pissing and moaning between each other.
Rhonda this bill for law is looking after all 105 counties in Kansas! This keeps other outsiders looking to take advantage of small town america politics from happening again in our wonderful state. They were trying to expose a loophole in a law and it is being fixed. I can tell you from knowing whats going on inside that this is going to pass in the Senate later this week and will be signed by Sebilius. This is not a matter that can wait and wont be postpond.
MrBill
“They better hurry, the site a mile South of Ark City across the state line just laid the foundation for the FOURTH casino on the Chilocco Indian school. They have close to 10,000 acres there to play with”
Man do you even have any idea how big 10,000 acres is? I go past that Chilocco Indian School alot and its no wheres near that big. That would place it on 14 miles of land. I say it is more near 1,000 acres. No fear to sumner county and their casino. I have insiders that tell me the indian casinos pay out 65% and the one in Sumner County will pay out 87% absolutely no comparison. Plus the one at exit 19 will be 70 miles closer to Wichita.
Wellington is bigger than Mulvane, and it’s the county seat to boot. Spare me the “poor Wellington” argument. The state should endorse the best possible casino location and package, period. If that puts a knot in some panties down south, that’s just too bad.
Yes I know how big it is…I grew up 2 miles North of there. They own BOTH sides of the Highway and then 2 Miles North to the state line and EAST and SOUTH. Along with many oil wells and huge wheat fields that are leased out.
And Wellington size is immaterial, neither Wellington or Mulvane could support a destination Casino alone. Most of the traffic will come from Wichita, same as the traffic in Ark City is now. It should have been built here in a hole dug out by moving the Century II. But alas not to be…
The Wichita City leadership should be turned out for that fact alone. Or lack of leadership to add to the Water Walk. Heck the Oklahoma City leadership over the BrickTown area is already DOUBLING the size of their NEW downtown arena. Since like ours it is NOT big enough. They are about to get a Pro NBA team to boot.
But they have managed the BrickTown area as an ENTIRE COMPLEX. Not the silliness that pops up here such as putting some venue 5 miles North, some venue 3 Miles West etc. The MUST ALL BE Together for a critical mass.
If you have not been to Bricktown, stop by. We go down once or twice a month. Ride the Gondolas in the River they brought back downtown. Go to BASS Pro, stop and eat at new Brick Baseball park right in the center of town. Or after the ball game stop into one of 50 new clubs or brewery’s.
It all wont matter once all the traffic dies out from no one from north going down or cut off too a trickle. You will see them Indians either paying out more or closing like wild west world.