Thursday, March 29, 2007

The Kansas House has approved a measure that would allow casinos and slot
machines at dog and horse tracks. The 64-58 vote this mornign gives
supporters of expanded gambling the hope that they could end 15 years of
legislative failures. The measure now heads to the Senate. Backers of the
measure say the state eventually could realize 200 million dollars a year
from the hotel-and-casino complexes and tracks with slots. The bill would
permit large tourist-attracting casinos in Ford County, Wyandotte County,
either Sedgwick or Sumner county, and either Crawford or Cherokee counties.
It also would allow 22-hundred slot machines initially, at Wichita Greyhound
Park; the Woodlands in Kansas City, Kansas, and the now-closed Camptown
Greyhound Park, in Frontenac. The Senate will either okay the measure or
send it to a committee before sending the bill to Governor Sebelius to sign.
One Wichita lawmaker thinks the gambling bill has a good shot at becoming
law. "(The Senate) is within a few votes of being able to approve this,"
says Representative Jason Watkins, a Wichita Republican, "and I think you'll
just have to see how the negotiations go with the senators. We may have a
bill to send to the governor." If the bill is approved, Sedgwick County
would have 180 days to have voters approve or reject a destination casino.
If Sedgwick County gets a casino, 22% of profits would go to the state. The
county would get two percent, while neighboring Sumner County would get one
percent. The bill also requires two percent to be put towards gambling
addiction treatment programs.