Casino proposals seek to move onto next stage in selection process

The Kansas Lottery Commission will vote next week on which of three southeast casino applicants can pass on to the next round.

The commission will vote April 24 on whether the three meet the minimum requirements set by the state. Those that receive commission approval will go to the Lottery Gaming Facility Review Board, which has up to 60 days to choose a winner or send the contract back to lottery officials for more negotiations. Before the winning proposal gets final approval, the Kansas Racing & Gaming Commission has 10 days to do a background investigation.

The Kansas Legislature last year cut the required investment for a casino in Crawford or Cherokee county to $50 million and the privilege fee to $5.5 million.

All three proposals being considered have Wichita connections. Castle Rock Casino Resort, the largest of the three and proposed for a site less than a mile from the extreme southeast corner, is spearheaded by Wichita businessmen Rodney Steven II and Brandon Steven; Camptown Casino, proposed for Frontenac, just north of Pittsburg, is led by Phil Ruffin; and Kansas Crossing Casino & Hotel, proposed for a few miles south of Pittsburg at the junction of U.S. 400 and 69, is owned by group that includes Wichita developer George Laham, as well as developers from elsewhere in Kansas.

This story was originally published April 16, 2015 at 9:20 AM with the headline "Casino proposals seek to move onto next stage in selection process."