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News media in Wichita are reporting the results of a study for the Kansas Lottery Commission favoring a Mulvane casino location, but State Rep. Vince Wetta, D-Wellington, says another study is soon to be released which will project the exact opposite results.
A report conducted for the Kansas Lottery Commission, prepared by the consulting team of Christiansen Capital Advisors, places more revenue in a casino site located at Mulvane over one in Wellington.
The survey states a destination casino at a Wellington location could generate $166.5 million in gross gaming revenue while $213.5 million in gross gaming revenue could be generated at a Mulvane location.
According to the survey, a Wellington site would bring in approximately 10,000 more adults annually than a site in Mulvane, but the numbers favor a Mulvane site which has a larger tourist base within 25 miles of the proposed casino site.
Four months away from the August deadline for the state potentially determining where the casino will be located, Wetta said he has absolutely no focus on the studys on expanded gaming or revenue projections.
“We are far enough down the line that I’m concentrating on the seven member commission which will do their own study and I’m confident it’s going to be an impartial study, a fair decision,” Wetta said.
“We’re within four months of the decision and its time for the Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission to start doing their work and bring it all together — everything that’s been done up to this date — and make a decision. Studies from now into eternity wouldn’t solve anything.”
The survey for the Kansas Lottery Commission states distance and the convenience of travel to the casino site as the most important factors for the prospective gamblers.
“Our projections of demand and potential revenues are based on an important observation: other things being equal, gambling patrons overwhelmingly tend to gamble at the facility that is most conveniently located for them.” the survey reads.
Mulvane’s top-heavy numbers for the market within 25 miles gave them the edge over Wellington, which is projected to draw more total patrons per year.
Outside of that first 25 mile radius, the numbers swing between Wellington and Mulvane for drawing in the crowds. Wellington draws more people between 25 and 75 miles away; less people 75 to 100 miles away; more people 100 to 125 miles away, and less people from 125 to 150 miles away. Wetta says he believes the state will weigh in the votes of the public when deciding which casino manager should be selected for Sumner County, and is still confident in a final decision favoring a Wellington location.
“I think we will end up with it, because if you’re not going to listen to the people, why was the bill written this way? Why don’t we just put it in downtown Wichita and be done with it?”
The location fight between Wellington and Mulvane has also brought two lawsuits — one filed by the Sumner County Commissioners against the City of Mulvane for puprorted illegal annexation to the casino sites needed for their endorsement by Mulvane, and one filed by Mulvane against the Sumner County Commissioners and Kansas Lottery Commission filed in Shawnee County District Court. Attorneys for both the Commissioners and the KLC have filed motions to dismiss that case. Both lawsuits will likely have hearings before the courts in May.
News media in Wichita are reporting the results of a study for the Kansas Lottery Commission favoring a Mulvane casino location, but State Rep. Vince Wetta, D-Wellington, says another study is soon to be released which will project the exact opposite results.
A report conducted for the Kansas Lottery Commission, prepared by the consulting team of Christiansen Capital Advisors, places more revenue in a casino site located at Mulvane over one in Wellington.
The survey states a destination casino at a Wellington location could generate $166.5 million in gross gaming revenue while $213.5 million in gross gaming revenue could be generated at a Mulvane location.
According to the survey, a Wellington site would bring in approximately 10,000 more adults annually than a site in Mulvane, but the numbers favor a Mulvane site which has a larger tourist base within 25 miles of the proposed casino site.
Four months away from the August deadline for the state potentially determining where the casino will be located, Wetta said he has absolutely no focus on the studys on expanded gaming or revenue projections.
“We are far enough down the line that I’m concentrating on the seven member commission which will do their own study and I’m confident it’s going to be an impartial study, a fair decision,” Wetta said.
“We’re within four months of the decision and its time for the Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission to start doing their work and bring it all together — everything that’s been done up to this date — and make a decision. Studies from now into eternity wouldn’t solve anything.”
The survey for the Kansas Lottery Commission states distance and the convenience of travel to the casino site as the most important factors for the prospective gamblers.
“Our projections of demand and potential revenues are based on an important observation: other things being equal, gambling patrons overwhelmingly tend to gamble at the facility that is most conveniently located for them.” the survey reads.
Mulvane’s top-heavy numbers for the market within 25 miles gave them the edge over Wellington, which is projected to draw more total patrons per year.
Outside of that first 25 mile radius, the numbers swing between Wellington and Mulvane for drawing in the crowds. Wellington draws more people between 25 and 75 miles away; less people 75 to 100 miles away; more people 100 to 125 miles away, and less people from 125 to 150 miles away. Wetta says he believes the state will weigh in the votes of the public when deciding which casino manager should be selected for Sumner County, and is still confident in a final decision favoring a Wellington location.
“I think we will end up with it, because if you’re not going to listen to the people, why was the bill written this way? Why don’t we just put it in downtown Wichita and be done with it?”
The location fight between Wellington and Mulvane has also brought two lawsuits — one filed by the Sumner County Commissioners against the City of Mulvane for puprorted illegal annexation to the casino sites needed for their endorsement by Mulvane, and one filed by Mulvane against the Sumner County Commissioners and Kansas Lottery Commission filed in Shawnee County District Court. Attorneys for both the Commissioners and the KLC have filed motions to dismiss that case. Both lawsuits will likely have hearings before the courts in May.
