Ever since Kansas in 2007 approved casinos in four specific regions, casino operators have been reluctant to build in the southeastern region, made up of Cherokee and Crawford counties, due to the proximity of the Quapaw Tribe’s Downstream Casino Resort in Oklahoma, which opened in 2008 near the state line—in fact, its parking lot is in Kansas. The state operates casinos in the other three regions.
To entice prospective developers to the southeastern region, Kansas legislators reduced the casino minimum investment and fees earlier this year. With applications being accepted through December 19, the Kansas Lottery Commission’s first interested party is a partnership between Phil Ruffin Jr., son of Wichita billionaire and Las Vegas casino owner Phil Ruffin, and the Downstream Casino itself. Their company plans a smaller model of the Quapaw operation at the empty, 90,000 square foot Camptown Greyhound Park, which Ruffin owns. The racetrack closed in 1995, six months after it opened.
Ruffin and John Berrey, chairman of the Downstream Development Authority, recently presented preliminary plans to elected officials from the Pittsburg City Commission, the Crawford County Commission and the Frontenac City Council; state legislators from Cherokee and Crawford counties; leaders from the Pittsburg Area Chamber of Commerce; business owners; and personnel from the Quapaw Tribe’s Downstream Casino Resort and the Downstream Development Authority.
Berry said, “We’ve done some detailed feasibility studies that say this is a great location, and we’re very fortunate to get Ruffin and Company’s buy-in on the idea. We’re trying to go for that license. Until then, we want to get to know y’all, get ideas from you, so we can prepare when we present our package to the board that we hope will have the support of the local community, both in Frontenac and Pittsburg. We just think this is a great opportunity for everybody. I think the area is ready for it.”
Stated Ruffin, “We’re trying to get some excitement, and hopefully we can win the bid. We want to bring some jobs to southeast Kansas.”
