The million Kansas Crossing Casino and Hotel opened to the public in Pittsburg, Kansas at 10:30 a.m., Friday, March 31. The state-owned operation in the state’s southeast gaming zone in Crawford County created more than 400 jobs and is expected to attract about 500,000 visitors a year. The property includes a 123-room Hampton Inn and Suites and Two Brothers Mining Company restaurant, and offers 625 slots and 16 table games. The official grand opening will be held Saturday, April 8 with a concert by country singer Jerrod Niemann.
General Manager Doug Fisher said, “It’s been a whirlwind. I started in July 2016 and it was pretty much still dirt here, so the speed with which this was constructed and how well this was constructed and how well this was designed is amazing to me.”
Selected by the Kansas Lottery Gaming Facility Review Board in June 2015, and approved by the Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission the following month, Kansas Crossing was the smallest and least expensive of the three proposed casinos, including Castle Rock in Cherokee County and one at the site of a former greyhound racetrack owned by Vegas billionaire Phil Ruffin.
Castle Rock investors sued the state, alleging the facility review board did not properly adhere to the guidelines when choosing Kansas Crossing. That delayed the groundbreaking of the project for more than a year. However, in 2016, Kansas Crossing announced plans to proceed after a court ruled in its favor. Castle Rock appealed to the Kansas Supreme Court which heard arguments in January but has not yet issued a decision.
Kansas Crossing recently announced it has secured partnerships worth more than $4.5 million over 10 years with the Southeast Kansas Career and Technical Education Center, Pittsburg State University, and the Crawford County Convention and Visitors Bureau.
