Sun, Jul 05 2009
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Published May 02, 2008 09:48 pm - FRONTENAC, Kan. — Phil Ruffin Sr. on Friday ended contract talks with the Kansas Lottery Commission to reopen Camptown Greyhound Park with 600 electronic games, said Sally Lunsford, spokeswoman for the Lottery Commission. Camptown Greyhound Park owner walks away from contract talks By Roger McKinney
Globe Staff Writer FRONTENAC, Kan. — Phil Ruffin Sr. on Friday ended contract talks with the Kansas Lottery Commission to reopen Camptown Greyhound Park with 600 electronic games, said Sally Lunsford, spokeswoman for the Lottery Commission. “Phil Ruffin did leave the table,” Lunsford said. “They don’t feel it’s a good investment.” Ruffin is owner of Camptown. He had proposed a $25 million-plus upgrade and expansion to the track to become a so-called “racino,” with 600 electronic games, a Gilley’s Bar and Grill, and other food and beverage offerings. Camptown Greyhound Park had closed for a second time in 2000. The law allowing state-owned casinos would have required that 40 percent of revenues from slot machines go to the state with 2 percent of revenues going to Crawford County and 1 percent to Cherokee County. Neither Ruffin nor William Shea, executive vice president of Ruffin Cos., immediately returned calls seeking comment Friday afternoon. “Boy, it’s kind of like getting hit in the chin,” said Crawford County Commissioner Ralph McGeorge, of Pittsburg. He said the commission had discussed possible economic benefits from the expanded dog track on Friday. “We were hoping for the best, that this situation could change and help us out in Crawford County,” McGeorge said. He said the commission on Friday considered sending a letter to the Lottery Commission to ask that it approve a contract with Ruffin, but it has turned out that the idea was too late. “It is heartbreaking,” McGeorge said. County Clerk Don Pyle had a similar reaction. “That is very upsetting,” he said, also noting the discussion at the County Commission meeting. “We had hoped that to be part of our economic development plan.” State Sen. Jim Barone, D-Frontenac, said the news was surprising and disappointing. 
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