The Kansas Lottery Commission is taking applications for the development of a casino in its Southeast Kansas Zone through December 19. Recently, representatives from Ruffin Gaming and the Quapaw Tribe described to Crawford County officials their plans for a joint venture to apply to the commission to create a casino at the Camptown Greyhound Park in Frontenac, Kansas, which has been closed for seven years.
Interest in developing a casino in the fourth and final Kansas gaming zone has been reignited since the state legislature approved lowering the fees to a minimum of $50 million in investment and $5.5 million for a license.
Phil Ruffin Jr. of Camptown owners Ruffin Gaming said, “We have a shell of a building at Camptown. We believe we could get that building up and going very quickly with all the bells and whistles of a Las Vegas casino. A destination casino means just that, that people all over will be entertained here with live music, slot machines, tables and games.” Ruffin said the joint venture agreement with the Quapaw Tribe, owners of nearby Downstream Casino in just across the state line in Quapaw, Oklahoma, is a “done deal” though not yet in writing. Ruffin said working with the Quapaws was a “logical fit” but even if the partnership dissolves, Ruffin Gaming “is committed to this project,” he said.
John Berrey, chairman of the Quapaw Tribe, said the agreement with Ruffin Gaming will be completed in the near future. “If you look at the site, it’s fundamentally perfect. The infrastructure is there, the highway has a turn lane. I think we can show the panel that’s going to be picked that this is a very good option,” he said. Berrey added Ruffin and the tribe are working on a feasibility study and an economic impact study. He stated the Downstream Casino had an economic impact of roughly $1 billion in its first five years, adding each dollar at a casino turns over six times in the local economy.
Ruffin said, if Camptown is selected by the Lottery Commission, phase one would be to open the casino, bars and restaurants. Phase two would be to open hotels and retail. Regarding the final phase, Ruffin said, “We’d love to get there.” He stated the property would provide 300 jobs. “That’s very conservative, right off the bat,” he said.
Crawford County Commissioner Tom Moody said, “We’re pretty excited about this. We’ve been waiting a while. I’m amazed at how far the building was out there. It’s already wired for several hundred slot machines. I think being that far advanced, I think it’d be hard to turn us down.” Doug Sellars, Frontenac city administrator, added, “Our city is at your disposal as well. I’d like to see it go in. It’d be beneficial to the City of Frontenac as well as the county. We’d like to help facilitate that process however we can.”
State Rep. Adam Lusker noted the earliest the project could receive approval was mid-2015. “Officials look at the package that would be most beneficial to the state of Kansas. Other than Downstream who is now a joint venture, nobody’s approached me about another casino proposal. I’ve heard there’s another, but I don’t know about that yet.”
Meanwhile, the enterprising Quapaw Tribe said it will add about 140 Angus cattle to its agricultural program in November. The beef will be included on the menu at the Red Oak Steakhouse inside the tribe’s Downstream Casino. Currently the tribe currently has 70 cows, 70 calves, and four breeding bulls. Fresh herbs and vegetables from the tribe’s farm also are featured on the steakhouse menu.
Quapaw Agricultural Manager Tom Hardcastle said, “Nobody that I know of is raising beef like this. The concept of bringing it from pasture to plate, you just don’t see it around here. It’s very unique.”
