The Kansas Lottery Gaming Facility Review Board met with consultants on Wednesday to hear testimony with regards to three casino proposals. The board must choose one proposal based on the amount of revenue each concept is projected to create for Kansas. Consultants discussed topics such as the geographic area and how well state coffers will be filled, once the project is fully operational in 2019. Other representatives discussed economics and gaming analytics.
Castle Rock Casino Resort is the biggest of the three proposals. It would be built less than a mile from the Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma borders, along US Route 400.
Will Cummings of Cummings Associates stated, “You may see some variance in projections. This is typical of the business. I see them all as very attractive applicants.”
Michael Greene from Union Gaming Analytics added that any casino in Kansas would need to compete with those in Oklahoma, which is a “saturated market.”
Union has predicted the slot machines and table games will create approximately $47 million in gross gaming revenue by 2019. They also believe the Castle Rock casino would pay $12.9 million in taxes for that year, with $11.5 million to the state and the rest to local governments. Cummings believes if Castle Rock is chosen it would earn closer to $59.9 million.
The second casino would be Kansas Crossing, which would be closer to the Missouri border. Union projections are for $39 million in gross gaming revenue with over $10 million to state and local taxes. Cummings stated the revenue from Kansas Crossing is more likely to be $36 million.
The third proposal Camptown Casino (formerly Emerald City) would be located north of Pittsburg. Union predicts revenue of $43.9 million with $11.8 million in total taxes. Cummings said a more realistic number would be $34.6 million for gaming revenue.