Show Me Gaming

President Casino

This story appears in today's St.Louis Post Dispatch.

Kansas Gaming

...from the Associated Press

A state board in Kansas is meeting Monday to hear from consultants about proposals for casinos in the Wichita and Kansas City areas.

The Lottery Gaming Facility Review Board must decide whether the projects will go forward. The new gambling will be owned by the Kansas Lottery, but it will have contracts with developers to build and operate them.

The board plans to decide in December whether to approve the projects.

The proposal for the Kansas City area is a $521 million casino complex overlooking the Kansas Speedway, the NASCAR racetrack there.

The Wichita-area casino would be built in Sumner County, about 20 miles south of the city. It's a $225 million project.

MGC Monthly Meeting

The Missouri Gaming Commission will hold its monthly meeting Wednesday, October 28th at 9 a.m. at the Riverside City Hall in Riverside, Missouri. The agenda is on the Google Calendar on the right side of this page.

500 New Jobs in Cherokee County, Kansas

This is from the Joplin Globe.

GALENA, Kan. — The proposed Ozark Trail Casino in Cherokee County would have a 35,000-square-foot gambling floor with 30 table games and 900 slot machines.

Keith Kocher, an official with the Kansas Lottery, on Tuesday provided those details from the application filed Monday by limited liability corporation Ozark Trail Gaming.

Kocher said the casino is proposed for the first phase of the project, but there was little information about subsequent phases.

“It appears to me there may be plans for a hotel in a future phase,” Kocher said. “That’s not very firm.”

Employment estimate

Bob Knight, a former Wichita mayor and a principal with Ozark Trail Gaming, said Tuesday in a phone interview that the employment level could be between 500 and 600 at startup of the casino, with more employment added later. He said the group of investors estimates that the casino would bring in $100 million in its first full year of operation.

The application states that the casino would have a total area of 113,000 square feet, with a public area of 47,500 square feet, and a nonpublic area of about 66,000 square feet for offices, administration and security.

Plans in the application call for a 75-seat, 1,800-square-foot entertainment lounge and bar.

Colorado casinos

Colorado casino operators have their eyes on longer liquor service hours. Read the story in the
Denver Post.com . Missouri riverboat gaming casino Ameristar's liquor hours are mentioned.

Next Missouri Gaming Commission Meeting

The monthly meeting will be held at the Riverside City Hall in Riverside, Missouri on Wednesday, October 28,2009 at 9 a.m. The agenda will be posted on the Google Calendar on the right side of the page when it becomes available.

Financial Reports

The Missouri Gaming Commission releases financial reports on the 10th of each month. Revenue numbers and admissions are up at many Missouri riverboat gaming casinos. Read the stories from the
St.Louis Business Journal and the Kansas City Business Journal.

Mental Health Champions

DMH Seeks Mental Health Champions for 2010

The Department of Mental Health is seeking nominations for Mental Health Champions in 2010. The selection committee will be looking for examples of how individuals with mental illness, developmental disabilities, or persons in recovery from substance or gambling addictions have overcome their challenges and whose actions and accomplishments exemplify commitment and courage in an effort to make life better for themselves and others in their communities.

There are many out there in recovery who are an inspiration to others. They are doing exceptional things while overcoming their addiction.

Please consider nominating an individual in recovery who inspires you and others.

For more information on the nomination process, visit the DMH website. The deadline for submission of nomination forms is October 30, 2009.

Smoking=Gambling

The editorial staff of Show Me Gaming continues to find evidence that smoking bans hurt revenue numbers for casinos. Case in point-Illinois. Read the story here.

Not So Fast

The Kansas Lottery and Gaming Review Board is taking some extra time in deciding who will manage a state owned casino in right-across-the-border Wyandotte County. Read the story here.