Please NASCAR, not another one!

[dpkimmel2001]

So the Kansas casino is a go and they plan on adding a second date. Why do we need another 1.5? What track is getting ready to give up a race?

Kansas Speedway casino plan passes state muster
Developers also pledged to bring a second NASCAR Sprint Cup race and a Grand-Am race to the track.

TOPEKA, Kan. -- It wasn’t the glitziest proposal for a casino in Wyandotte County. Or the biggest or the most expensive.

But the planned Hollywood Casino had the virtue of being the only proposal left standing Tuesday after the recession forced developers with grander visions to drop out earlier this year.

That proved to be enough — along with deep-pocketed, experienced developers and a prime spot overlooking the Kansas Speedway — for a state board to unanimously approve the $386 million project.

“Is it ideal? No. But we understand the constraints of the economic times,†said board member Jackie Vietti. “It’s in the better interests of the state to move forward now.â€

Construction is expected to begin late next year, with an opening set for early 2012.

The casino will be built near Turn 2 of the speedway. It will include 2,300 slot machines, 86 table games and 28,000 square feet of dining and entertainment options. A second phase calls for a 250-room hotel.

All told, the project represents an investment of more than half a billion dollars. The project is expected to create 2,000 construction jobs and 1,000 permanent jobs in Wyandotte County.

As part of its sales pitch, the developers also pledged to bring a second NASCAR Sprint Cup race and a Grand-Am race to the track.

A group of delighted residents and a bottle of champagne greeted Unified Government Mayor Joe Reardon when he returned home Tuesday. Supporters said they were tired of seeing so many Kansas license plates in the parking lots of Missouri casinos.

“We have been donating quite a bit of money to Missouri over the years, and it’s time to bring some of it back,†said Beverly J. Darby of Kansas City, Kan.

The project is a joint venture of the speedway’s owners, International Speedway Corp., and Penn National Gaming, a Pennsylvania-based company that operates casinos around the United States, including the Argosy Casino in Riverside.

The developers said they’ll seek private financing for the project, but can pay for it themselves if necessary.

A consultant hired by the state estimated that the casino would generate $203 million of gambling revenues in its first year. The state will get a minimum 22 percent cut of the gross revenue. Another 5 percent will go to Wyandotte County government and a fund set up to combat compulsive gambling.

Tuesday’s vote is nearly the final step in a long effort to bring a casino to Wyandotte County. The developers still must undergo state background checks in order to get licensed, and must have final design details approved by local officials.

But the developers said those are minor obstacles.

“This was really the final hoop to jump through,†said Tim Wilmott, president of Penn National Gaming. “Now it’s full speed ahead.â€

Board members said they scrutinized the speedway proposal as if it were up against competition.

Still, several board members questioned the developers’ decision to delay building a hotel. State lawmakers said an adjacent hotel was needed to attract out-of-state tourists when they authorized a casino for Wyandotte County in 2007.

Steven Snyder, Penn National senior vice president, assured that the hotel will be built when the economy recovers. In the meantime, Snyder said the casino will work out partnerships with nearby hotels and arrange a shuttle service to and from the casino.

It amounts to a “virtual hotel,†he told the board.

But that term puzzled some board members, who worried the developers might be hedging their bet.

“I’ve never heard of such a thing in my entire life,†said board member Jack Brier. “Do a lot of people stay in virtual hotels?â€

To assuage those concerns, developers already had agreed to pay an annual penalty of roughly $2 million to Wyandotte County if hotel construction hasn’t started within two years of the casino’s opening.

“The market will dictate a hotel,†predicted board member James Bergfalk. “I have faith that at the right time we’ll have that hotel.â€

The project already has approval from the Wyandotte County Board of Commissioners.

After years of failed efforts, Kansas lawmakers authorized a single casino for each of four regions of the state. Under state law, private companies build and operate the facilities, but the state controls the operations. The review board selects the developers.

Several quickly stepped forward to pitch their own visions for a casino in Wyandotte County. But almost all walked away in the midst of the recession. International Speedway and Penn later joined forces behind a single plan.

“We had bigger proposals, more glitz and more flash,†said board chairman Matt All. “And then everything changed.â€

Also Tuesday, the review board delayed a final vote on a casino proposal for an area south of Wichita to give developers time to revise their plans.

The first casino built since the law passed is set to open this month in Dodge City.

Kansas Speedway casino plan passes state muster | www.thatsracin.com

 

[Snoozer]

Obviously Darlington needs to add a casion then.

 

[flap_jackson]

No more second track dates! We need a new track please:bigthumbup:

 

[Andrew8468]

No track is going to give up a date. It will be taken from them. Martinsville seems to be the obvious choice since it has the smallest capacity of any track owned by ISC. The other option is ISC either buys Pocono from the Mattiolis or Dover and moves one of those dates.

 

[flap_jackson]

I'm just a strong believer that they should shorten the season at this point. If the tracks don't like losing a track date, then they can lose both of them. Of course, that's pretty difficult when NASCAR OWNS THE ISC!:bigahh:

 

[mghtx]

Martinsville seems to be the obvious choice

Yeah, knowing the ones running nascar these days. They've already shown their disregard for tradition. And their seemingly lack of interest in any real racing, which we get at short tracks.

On the bright side, we can continue with cool games like "spot the debris" and "Final caution, what lap?" Let's get ready to rumble! Shootout Style!

 

[semipenguin]

I wouldn't doubt Nascar is going to try & move the All-Star race to Kansas. It's the home of Sprint & if they want to keep them as the title sponsor, you might see the move :shock:

I think the All-Star Race should be just before the first race in the chase. That's just my idea :idea:
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[mghtx]

move the All-Star race to Kansas

Oh Lord, I hope you're wrong. I guess it really doesn't matter as far as the track but......

I'd sure like to see it at ORP or Iowa.

Shoot, the way nascar is it wouldn't surprise me if they moved it to ACS.

 

[mghtx]

I think the All-Star Race should be just before the first race in the chase. That's just my idea

Not a bad idea actually. And if it were still at Richmond even better. (But I want Richmond in the chase so.....)

 

[dpkimmel2001]

It will never move from Charlotte IMO. The revenue that will be generated by the HOF will see to that.

 

[dpkimmel2001]

I think Richmond being the 26th race is an ideal spot. That race generates quite a bit of excitement just because of the Chase scenarios that play out.

 

[flap_jackson]

I think Richmond being the 26th race is an ideal spot. That race generates quite a bit of excitement just because of the Chase scenarios that play out.

I've always thought Richmond was on the more boring side. Certainly the least exiting of the short tracks. But hey, it could be worse, it could be California

 

[mghtx]

Well, I think the chase, because of points racing, has hurt some racing at some tracks, and Richmond is an example. There's not much "go-for-it" racing anymore.

But it's not ALL because of the chase...nascar and big-money sponsors have cut a lot of that out too. Which would bring us to lack of rivalries.

Like a circle or a swirl of water going down the drain. I hope something can happen to reverse the cycle.

 

[dpkimmel2001]

Now that the lawsuit is over, I guess Kentucky now has to be added to that list of tracks for 2011 that will probably get a race date. First Kansas, now Kentucky. Woo freakin woo, another 1.5. Great for all of you in the Kansas/Kentucky areas. Everyone wants a track in their backyard. I just wish that these track designers would think outside the box when they create these tracks. Throw away that damn 1.5 template! I don't know why it bothers me so much. I like football. They all play on identical fields, dimension wise. I'd like to see the add a short track somewhere. Heck, use one that is already built somewhere and add stands to the sky, like Bristol.

I can't see them adding another date or two so what tracks do you think are losing a date?

 

[mghtx]

Throw away that damn 1.5 template!

Amen. No more, no mas, no way Josie!

Now if I could just snap my fingers and change the Nashville track.