Thu, Nov 26 2009
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Penn National withdraws casino plan “Unfortunately, that’s not a fair comparison,” Schippers said. He said Penn National, under the Kansas law that allows state-owned casinos, would be paying 27 percent of gross revenues in taxes, while the Quapaw Tribe is required to pay around 6 percent of gross revenues from its casino to the state of Oklahoma.
Gatewood said Penn National also is flush with cash after being paid a settlement for a failed takeover bid. Downstream response John Berrey, chairman of the Quapaw Tribe’s business committee and Downstream Development Authority, said in a news release issued in response to Penn National’s announcement that Cherokee County would be included in future plans. “We want the citizens of Cherokee County to know that our future plans will include building on the economic base that our casino resort has established for the four state region,” Berrey said in the news release. “We are part of the Cherokee County community and remain committed to helping bring viable and sustainable economic development to the county.” He wrote that many of Downstream Casino Resort’s 1,100 employees are Kansas residents. “The Quapaw Tribe and Downstream Casino Resort will begin immediately to explore additional ways that can help soften this tremendous loss,” Berrey said. ‘High and dry’ Cherokee County Commissioner Rodney Edmondson said the news was disheartening. “They’re leaving us high and dry after all that they promised,” he said. Schippers said in his news release that company officials met this week with Cherokee County officials to explain the decision to withdraw. Edmondson said he met Monday with Richard Klemp, Penn National’s vice president for government affairs, but Klemp gave him no indication of the forthcoming decision. He said Klemp told him that the company was still trying to find a way to make the project work. Penn National has a pre-development agreement with Cherokee County. The agreement states that if Penn were to receive final approval of a management contract, it would build the casino in the first phase, and a hotel and entertainment venue in a future phase. David Cooper, Cherokee County’s attorney for committee matters, in the past has said Penn National’s withdrawal could trigger legal action by the county for alleged breach of contract. Edmondson said the County Commission likely would address the agreement on Monday. 
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