Boot Hill Casino is Dedicated but Not Done

December 16, 2009

(DODGE CITY, Kan.)

Only a day after the doors opened and hours after Kansas Governor Mark Parkinson cut the ceremonial ribbon, people are already looking at what's next for Dodge City's Boot Hill Casino and Resort.

That's because there's a part of that title that's still to come. "It turns then into a destination facility which is the ultimate goal," explains Jeff Thorpe, Pres. Boot Hill Gaming.

The casino is only one piece of the overall plan. The construction site, only feet from the casino, will be a $41 million events center and arena. On the other side of the building, the future home of the casino's hotel.

Kim Goodnight, Chairman of the Ford County Commission, tells Eyewitness News, "With my children, who live in Wichita, coming out here and excited about this and saying 'wow, this is really special' and I say 'yeah, yeah it is. And it took a lot of work.'"

And if crowds like the ones on Tuesday and Wednesday keep up , there's even space for the casino to expand into. A false wall hides an empty room, available to hold more slots and more table games.

"We'll double the gaming tables, add probably 300 more slot machines and that's at our call. We call it plan 1A," said Thorpe.

Making the people making this possible. even happier. Especially with them bringing in the events center and the hotel, You know I really do think with our history we can make this a really thriving community again," said Shirley Tieperman, who was making her second visit to the casino.

Years of work coming to end, but a few more years of work just getting started.

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