Slot Machines

by Kim Wilhelm (Sumner County, KAN.) If the state approves it, a new destination casino will be built near Mulvane, not Wellington.  On Monday, Lakes Entertainment dropped its application to build a casino near Wellington.  Instead, Lakes will join Foxwoods Development in its casino project near Mulvane. If built, the casino would include 1500 slot machines and 30 table games.  Wellington supporters were disappointed by the move but say they'll now support the Mulvane location.

by John Boyd It failed by just 246 votes, now slot machines at the Wichita Greyhound Park get a second chance.  The election office will recount the votes on Proposition Two from last week's election.  Sedgwick County Election Commissioner Bill Gale says, they are recounting paper ballots only.  The recount comes at the request of the Ruffin Company, on behalf of the Wichita Greyhound Park.  The park is also paying for the recount. About 17,000 paper ballots were filled out during the August 7th election.

With just 12 hours until the polls open in Sedgwick County, it appears voters are still split on whether to approve a casino.  In our lastest FactFinder 12 Scientific Survey, SurveyUSA polled 620 Sedgwick County residents considered to be likely voters. According to the poll, the vote could go either way for Proposition 1.  But, it appears slot machines will be approved. Here are the results: On Proposition 1 ... Will you vote Yes? ... or No? ... on building a new gambling casino in Sedgwick County?

The Kansas Star Casino is closed for a couple of days so it can move into its permanent location.  Workers are moving 1,400 slot machines from the current facility to the new one.  The move started December 2nd. “It's a multiple hour process, multiple day process.  Moving 1-2 machines might sound relatively easy, do it for 8-10 hours, not so much,” said slot machine manager Alli Biar. The slot machines are going to a permanent location on the other side of the building.  That side will open Wednesday.

FactFinder 12 is keeping a close eye on the casino issue in Sedgwick County.  In an exclusive scientific survey, SurveyUSA contacted 640 Sedgwick County residents who they identified as likely voters.  They found people are split nearly 50-50 on the casino measure. 1   On Proposition 1 ... Will you vote Yes? ... or No? ... on building a new gambling casino in Sedgwick County? 50% Yes 49% No 2% Undecided Margin of Sampling Error for this question = ± 4% 2   Separately ... On Proposition 2 ... Will you vote Yes?

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) - A Kansas Senate committee has endorsed a bill designed to bring slot machines to racetracks in two communities. The measure approved Wednesday by the Federal and State Affairs Committee rewrites a 3-year-old gambling law. The 5-4 vote sends it to the Senate for debate. The 2007 law authorizes slots. But track owners say their percentage of the revenues, capped at 40 percent, is too low to make them profitable. The bill allows the tracks to keep up to 58 percent of the revenue.

Lawmakers approved it, developers are ready for it, but voters will have the final say on whether a casnio will be built in Sedgwick County.  The election is August 7th.  Voters will be asked if they want a casnio and if they want slot machines at Greyhound Park. Tuesday a group of community, business, and religious leaders spoke out about why they want you to vote no. They say a casino will not be the economic boost many people believe. A Kansas Lottery report estimates a Sedgwick County destination casino would generate about $160 million in gaming revenue a year.

We'll begin with what you can expect to see on the ballot because there has been some confusion. Proposition #1 reads:  "Shall the Kansas lottery be authorized to place electronic gaming machines in Sedgwick County?" The first proposition is referring to the casino. Proposition #2 reads: "Shall the Kansas lottery be authorized to place electronic gaming machines in Sedgwick County?" We've received calls to our newsroom from advance voters concerned the second proposition is too vague.

(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.

By Kim Hynes (DODGE CITY, Kan.) At one o'clock Tuesday, Dodge City made history. It opened a western themed state owned casino, the first in Kansas. "It's amazing that we're the first ones to open. But it took our whole community to do it," said President of Boot Hill Gaming Jeff Thorpe. Reporter Video: Kim Hynes on Opening of Boot Hill Casino Reporter Video: Megan Strader on Crowd Coming Into Boot Hill Casino Ten years ago, Thorpe and other residents came up with the idea of using gaming to attract tourists.