Lottery Commission discusses details on expanded gaming
Only one group has applied for an area casino
By Matthew Clark | THE MORNING SUN
The Kansas Lottery Commission spoke briefly about expanded gaming during their meeting on Thursday in Topeka.
Kansas Lottery Director Ed Van Petten talked about the process for reviewing lottery gaming facility management contracts.
Van Petten told the Commission that there has still been just one application turned in to the Lottery Commission.
Penn National Gaming submitted their application for a casino in Cherokee County and Van Petten said he is in the process of looking over the application.
"The way we are looking at the law, I will begin negotiations with the applicants and reviewing the material, but not until a contract is negotiated between me and the applicant will it come to the Commission," Van Petten said.
He said there was no timeframe as to if and when a contract could be finalized.
Penn National has submitted a proposal to manage a $290 million casino in Cherokee County — part of the southeast Kansas gaming zone.
As for the lawsuit filed by Kansas Attorney General Paul Morrison, Van Petten said there has been a brief filed by the Potawatomi Tribe to intervene with the lawsuit, but he did not know the details of the brief.
"We have not responded and I don't think the Attorney General's office has either," Van Petten said.
He added that Dan Biles has entered his appearance as the attorney of record for the Kansas Lottery in the suit which challenges the constitutionality of expanded gaming — to be specific, whether casinos can be owned by the state.
Van Petten said that he and Kansas Assistant Attorney General Keith Kocher, who is assigned to the Kansas Lottery, are in the process of looking at contracts for greyhound park slot management contracts as well as central computer system specifications and contracts.
"Racetrack facilities have been great to work with and they have been in contact with us regularly," Van Petten said. "Things have been moving a little slower than expected, but we are progressing."
He said the Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission is in the preliminary stage of writing regulations for lottery gaming facility and racetrack requirements.
"Our hope is that we can go through the contracts and central computer specs while the KRGC is going through that process," Van Petten said.
In the coming weeks, Van Petten and Kocher will tour different facilities on the East Coast to review central computer systems.
"I think we are in pretty good shape with the specs," Van Petten said.
Commissioners will meet next on Oct. 17.
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