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More Casino Developers Interested in Sumner County

August 08, 2007

The phone started ringing early Wednesday morning in Sumner County. Casino developers called wanting information now that they know where a casino is going.

Tuesday, 56% of Sedgwick County voters decided against a casino. The gambling legislation says if the issue failed in Sedgwick County the casino would go to Sumner County. 

"We're very excited," Sumner County Economic Development Director Janice Hellard said. She's excited developers want to build a destination casino. Four had showed serious interest before Sedgwick County's vote. Wednesday, two more called Hellard. She says they told her, we need to meet, we need to come down and talk to you. We would like to consider being part of Sumner County's submissions.

In 90 days, the casino proposals are due. Developers will outline what they'll build and where.  Developers have looked at land off of the interchanges at Wellington, Mulvane and South Haven because they want to be seen from the turnpike.

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Eyewitness News checked the Register of Deeds and found no one has purchased land for a casino yet. The McAlister Group in Wellington says a prominent Las Vegas operator has an option to buy the south west corner at the Wellington exit.

Bob Knight and his group Chisholm Creed Resort Casino say they also have options to buy land along the turnpike. But Knight would not give specific locations.

Hellard says she's looking forward to the next 90 days even though they will be busy. Within that time, more details will come out and the county will decide what it thinks of each proposal.  "If they meet the minimum requirements and we feel they are good for the county we can endorse more than one," she said.

Those endorsements go to the state which will ultimately decide where a casino goes in Sumner County.

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