Kansas Lottery Casino Deadline Passes

Friday, December 7th 2007, 7:46 am

By: News On 6

BAXTER SPRINGS, Kan. (AP) - Cherokee County officials are now waiting to see what the Kansas Lottery does after receiving just one proposal for a casino in southeast Kansas. Yesterday was the deadline for companies seeking to manage a state-owned casino in the southeast gaming zone, which covers Cherokee and Crawford counties.

Penn National Gaming has already applied for a hotel and casino complex near the Baxter Springs exit on Interstate 44 near the Oklahoma and Missouri borders.

Lottery officials have 90 days to review the application and negotiate a contract with Penn National Gaming. If so, it would go to the Lottery Gaming Facility Review Board for final approval.

Governor Kathleen Sebelius signed an expanding gambling law in April that allow four casinos and slot machines at horse and dog tracks.