Marvel Gaming President Roger Wagoner presented the Trailhead Casino and Resort to the Kansas Lottery Gaming Facility Review Board in a way chairman Matt All called refreshing, informational and straight-forward.
    Not laden with a multitude of speakers or video presentations, Wagoner engaged the again full auditorium of the Belle Plaine High School with a detailed analysis of how their casino company is “the right-sized project for Wellington and the right-sized development for the state of Kansas.”
    In opening comments by Keith Kocher, director of racing and gaming with the Kansas Lottery, Marvel’s offer to create a state-wide player’s loyalty card was introduced.
    This issue was brought up again in Marvel’s presentation and during questions after.
    Jon Wolfe, executive vice president of operations, said the databases of customers from each gaming zone would be available to the Lottery who would be able to use them for cross-marketing purposes.
    Wolfe said gaming facility managers in each zone would not have direct access to those lists for other gaming zones.
   Kocher also introduced Marvel Gaming’s commitment to their initial investment.  According to the contract they have negotiated with the state, if Marvel is able to build their proposed facility without reaching that dollar amount, they will give half of the remainder directly to the state.
    Wagoner reiterated this during his presentation.
    “We want no one to question that we will build what we promised,” Wagoner stated.
    Wagoner’s presentation provided significant research and information which lead to their revenue projections, including dispute of the analysis by consultants for the state.
    Wagoner said they did the math on a Mulvane location and determined they would likely generate an additional $7 million more gross gaming revenue from a location closer to Wichita, but their decision was to locate in the center of Sumner County based on the county’s voting results.
    To mitigate this difference, Wagoner said they also proposed a higher return to the state than any other casino developer, making them the most profitable in the end.
    “This casino belongs in the middle of the county and it belongs in Wellington,” Wagoner said.  “And a maximum yield can be accomplished in Wellington.”
    Wagoner’s presentation also focused on their commitment to Sumner County.
    The proposal includes a voluntary pledge of one percent of their annual gross gaming revenues to the Sumner County Economic Development Commission to promote economic growth across the entire county.
    They have partnered with the Wellington Municipal Golf Course on a proposal for a $2.3 million expansion project and would market the course to their customers, promoting tourism into Wellington.
    In addition, Wagoner said one million dollars has been set aside as an annual budget for charitable contributions.  Decisions for this spending would be made at a local level and not sent on to a foundation, he said.
    Wagoner also emphasized their management plan which would have the majority of their executives working with Trailhead Casino Kansas-based.
    Their proposed casino would have the most employees and highest payroll, Wagoner said, and he also introduced housing incentives for employees to move to Sumner County.
    Sumner County Commissioner Garey Martin supported this commitment in remarks following the Marvel Gaming presentation.
    Martin said the presenters who were endorsed by the Sumner County Commissioners had talked-up local economic development and had either proposed housing or assistance for housing to additionally increase the tax base in Sumner County.
    At the conclusion of the presentation by the Marvel Gaming team, members of the board keyed in on audience members attending the event for the casino developer, including representatives of the Deutsch Bank and the consulting firm CB Richard Ellis.
    Board member Jim Bergfalk asked the banking executives to speak on the capacity of financing this project, and said recent reports of the casino market in Las Vegas had caused him to take the issue more seriously.  Marvel Gaming was given absolute support by the lender.
    Presentations in Belle Plaine continue this afternoon with the public comment session scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.
    The line for public comment was deep into the Belle Plaine High School commons area Friday morning, with over a hundred standing and ready prior to the 8:30 a.m. start.
    Among the green-wearing Harrah’s Entertainment supporters and protestors against a casino at Exit 33 were several Wellington community leaders, including State Rep. Vince Wetta, D-Wellington, City Manager Gus Collins and Mayor Roger Stallbaumer, Chamber of Commerce Director Shelley Hansel, and other members of the community.
    All said they will make attempts to keep public comments evenly sided. 
    When signing up, participants were asked to give their address, affiliation, and choose whether their comments would be for Harrah’s Entertainment, Penn National Gaming, or Marvel Gaming.  A section for “general comments” was also an option.