subscribesubscriber servicescontact usabout ussite map
Fri, Nov 27 2009 

Published September 11, 2008 10:00 pm - GALENA, Kan. — Penn National Gaming on Thursday laid the blame for its withdrawal from Cherokee County with the Quapaw Tribe’s Downstream Casino Resort. Company officials previously had said the decision was likely.

Penn National withdraws casino plan



By Roger McKinney

rmckinney@joplinglobe.com

GALENA, Kan. — Penn National Gaming on Thursday laid the blame for its withdrawal from Cherokee County with the Quapaw Tribe’s Downstream Casino Resort.

Company officials previously had said the decision was likely.

Eric Schippers, public affairs vice president for Penn National, said in a news release that the decision was made “following a lengthy and thorough review of our strategic options.” Penn National operated in the state as Kansas Penn Gaming.

Ed Van Petten, executive director of the Kansas Lottery, said the procedure for a state-owned casino in the southeast gaming zone, comprising Cherokee and Crawford counties, would restart. He said proposals would be sought from interested parties.

“Despite our best and continuing efforts to combat what we believe to be several fundamental flaws in the development process for the Quapaw Tribe’s Downstream Casino Resort, the $300 million facility opened on land directly adjacent to our site,” Schippers wrote in the news release. “While Oklahoma gets the economic development, Cherokee County gets to host its surface parking lot.”

Schippers said in a phone conversation that the tribal casino would have a two-year head start in establishing a customer base.

Downstream Casino Resort’s casino opened July 5, with the hotel scheduled to open in early November. It is west of Joplin, Mo., off Interstate 44.

Penn National planned its casino north of there, in Cherokee County. The company’s initial application called for a $295 million investment in a casino and hotel. It later received approval from the Kansas Lottery Commission for a scaled-back and phased-in project, with an initial investment of $125 million in the casino, and investments totaling $100 million in a hotel and other amenities over 12 years of the state contract.

Betrayal

“In the wake of Downstream’s rapid opening, rather than pack our bags and head home, we worked diligently to find a structure that still worked for Southeast Kansas and for our company,” Schippers wrote in the news release. That included a “southern strategy” that would have included a casino and hotel in Sumner County. The strategy didn’t impress the Kansas Lottery Gaming Facility Review Board, which last month approved Harrah’s Entertainment for the Sumner County casino.

State Rep. Doug Gatewood, D-Columbus, said he considers Penn National’s withdrawal as a betrayal.

“I absolutely do think they’ve left us hanging,” Gatewood said. “People in Cherokee County and the southeast zone worked hard on this. They’re turning their back on everything they’ve said. In my mind, it’s breach of contract.”

Gatewood said Penn National’s business decision is a mistake. He said if Penn National were to build a casino next to the tribal casino, they both would benefit. He used the example of casinos flourishing next to one another in Las Vegas, or a Wendy’s restaurant building next to a McDonald’s.



print this story    email this story    comment on this story   

Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.


Add a comment on this story







autoconx
Premier Guide
Find a business

Walking Fingers
Maps, Menus, Store hours, Coupons, and more...
Premier Guide

Announcements


Click here to VOTE!!

Click here!!

: Special Offer For New Subscribers : 32 buy 1 get 1 free offers

Click Here!


Featured Jobs

TRUCK DRIVERS NEEDED

for local construction project, must have CDL and experience on construction site belly dumps. 417-206-0930.
...>MORE

See all ads

Featured Transportation

2003 DODGE CARAVAN SPORT
loaded, 1 owner, 94,000 miles, nice. (417)385-7755...>MORE

OLDSMOBILE 2003 SILHOUETTE VAN
OLDSMOBILE, 2003 Silhouette mini van, 107,000 miles, scooter/wheelchair hoist, nice, $7000. (417)776-3219....>MORE

1998 CHEVROLET TRACKER
removable hard tops, automatic, air, CD, sharp, $2500. 1317 Schifferdecker, Joplin....>MORE

YAMAHA PSR-GX76
76 key keyboard, new in box, sustain petal and music stand, paid $324, sell for $175. 417-434-0925...>MORE

HONDA 2001 CIVIC EX
HONDA, 2001 Civic EX, 4 door, automatic, 94,000 miles, $5800; 1998 Accord, 4 door, $4200; 1999 Honda Prelude, automatic...>MORE

1999 PONTIAC GRAND AM
2 door, spoiler, sharp, loaded, automatic, air, CD, extra nice, $2600. 1317 Schifferdecker, Joplin....>MORE

1989 CHEVROLET STEPSIDE
350, V8, custom flames, runs great, $2500. 417-208-6717...>MORE

2002 FORD TAURUS SE
nice car, 3.0 liter V6, $2900. 417-850-0731....>MORE

FORD, 1997 F150
V8, automatic, extended cab, high miles, $2600. (417)214-0145....>MORE

2002 BUICK RENDEZVOUS
4 door, luxury leather trim, loaded, CD, sunroof, beautiful rig, extra nice, $4500. 1317 Schifferdecker...>MORE

See all ads

Featured Homes

NEWER 3 BR/2 BA
Lots of upgrades and great location. $149,000 but all offers considered. 903 Katlin, Carl Junction. Pictures www.fsboloc...>MORE

525 E. 41ST, JOPLIN, MO

to be sold at auction December 5th or before. Lovely all red brick home on large corner. 4 bedroom, 2 bath, double
...>MORE

Deerfield Estates
in Carl Junction, prime building sites, reduced $10,000 each. 417-825-0052...>MORE

3 ACRES
3 ACRES more/less with pond. Nice park-like setting, just minutes from Range Line. Close to area of newer homes. $19,900...>MORE

See all ads

Other Cool Stuff

POODLE, FULL BLOODED
POODLE, full blooded, $75 or best offer. (417)385-8710 after 4:30 p.m....>MORE

ANGUS HEIFERS
6 Augus heifers, good foundation stock. (417)358-7519...>MORE

MALTESE PUPPIES
2 gorgeous AKC males, 8 weeks on 11/30, all shots/vaccines, $200 each. 417-325-4340 ...>MORE

ANTIQUES FOR SALE
blue sette $350 2 lamps $75 coffee table $35 2 half side tables $35 2 mauve 60's chairs $225 will e-mail photos. 417-673...>MORE

NEW IN BOX
New in box, Lucchese cowboy boots, black, size 9D, $200. (620)231-9256...>MORE

ENGLISH BULLDOG PUPPY
male, AKC, fawn/white, champion bloodlines, $900 or best offer. (417)396-3340...>MORE

5TH WHEEL
5TH WHEEL, 2004 Prowler Regal, 26’, 2 slides, loaded, nice. (620)674-2127....>MORE

SCHNAUZERS
one white puppy, one registered silver adult female, one white adult male. (417)437-0300....>MORE

GREAT CHRISTMAS GIFT!
1000 thread 100% Egyptian cotton bed sheets, all sizes, 10 colors, $35/set. (417)782-6639....>MORE

REWARD $50,000 REWARD

Offered for any information leading to conviction of any person or persons known to have been involved in alleged
...>MORE

See all ads


 

Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc.CNHI Classified Advertising NetworkCNHI News Service
Associated Press content © 2009. All rights reserved. AP content may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Our site is powered by Zope and our Internet Yellow Pages site is powered by PremierGuide.
Some parts of our site may require you to download the Flash Player Plugin.
View our Privacy Policy
Advertiser index

 

 

The Joplin Globe Electronic Edition