In a contest to find a developer for a casino in Sumner County, Kansas, four prospective operators have submitted bids. The resort casino, approved in principal by voters this summer, will be a multi-million dollar project. The law also permits casinos to be built in Wyandotte, Cherokee and Ford counties.

The deadline for filing applications was this Wednesday, and Penn National Gaming has also filed in Cherokee County. The three other companies hoping to be selected for Sumner are Harrah’s Entertainment, MGM/Foxwoods and Marvel Gaming. All four have plans to build hotels with between 250 and 350 rooms plus a range of other facilities.

Penn would develop 70,000 sq ft of gaming floor along with the hotel, restaurants, a sports bar, retail centre and 1,750-seat convention centre, at an estimated cost of US$365 million and a theme of Hollywood memorabilia. Marvel would spend US$350 million on 65,000 sq ft of gaming floor plus retail and convention space, hotel, bars and restaurants.

A championship golf course is proposed in Harrah’s US$500 million hotel casino resort. The company promises a ‘city block’ of nightclubs and lounges as well as retail outlets. It also says it will give an annual US$1.5 million grant for community development and plans future expansion to provide a total US$1 billion investment. The MGM/Foxwoods consortium would start with a US$425 million investment in 70,000 sq ft of gaming space, hotel, movie theatre, restaurants and retail, with an 18-hole golf course and RV park in a future phase.

All four proposals will now be considered by a number of state and county committees and there will be a series of public hearings. The Kansas Lottery Commission will make the final selection and Sumner is expected to make its recommendation to the Commission after 12 December. (E-11.30.07)

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