Casinos
Wichita Night LifeWell, two new counties are now on the list for casinos in Kansas. Ford and Wyandotte counties both overwhelmingly voted in legislation last night approving casinos in their county. Well, I say "overwhelmingly" in terms of their population since Ford county only had some 8,000 voters. However, this puts Wichita in a tough position, doesn't it?
Boot Hill and Kansas City will both now have casinos drawing people to them. Boot Hill out of it's noteriety and nostalgia from the rootin-tootin days of the Cowboy, gunslingers, and drunken shoot-outs over poker games. Kansas City out of its accessibility and already established popularity as a destination.
Now Sedgwick faces a vote on August 7th as to whether or not we should bring casinos to the sedgwick county area. I would say at this point, while I am strongly opposed to gambling personally, we are put into a position where we will actually LOSE what tourism we have in favor of these other destinations in Kansas because of them. Why would you come to Wichita if you can stay in Kansas City on the river and gamble at the casinos up there?
What do you think? Does competition on this scale effect Wichita?
~Dubya
Yes, the proximity of Dodge City might affect visits to Wichita to gamble (if there is a casino in Wichita). I just don't think it will be that great. The casino in Dodge City would just give those who were going to visit there for Boot Hill, etc., another diversion.
I really don't understand the Wyandotte County vote at all. Its close proximity with KC Mo will dilute any positive effect a casino there might otherwise have. I suspect the allure of the boats in KC will overcome any benefit of a casino in Wyandotte County.
If the voters decide there should be a casino in Sedgwick County, so be it. Just don't look for any economic boom therefrom.
I suspect that maybe we might see some economic gain from some of the surrounding areas(Winfield, El Dorado, and the like) if the casino is done right. I just don't see alot of interstate commerce occuring because Wichita gets one. Just more of our state dollars now staying in state.
I'm not really for or against it otherwise.
We do need in the county tourism.
As a former resident (engineer) of Las Vegas, Nevada, I find that some of the anti-casino talk is way off base. While there were a few negative aspects, just like any type of businesses, there were also some positive aspects. A city with gambling generally has to spend up to 60% of the gambling generated income on law enforcement. But there were many local support businesses, such as building maintenance, that were not directly involved gambling and yet brought in legitimate income and professional workers.
Las Vegas also saw some international trade grow there. Las Vegas had the highest proportion of churches per capita of any US city at that time. The maintenance and hotel workers were the ones attending those congregations. And in addition, those residents were very friendly to strangers, lot more than what I have seen here recently (as a native-born citizen of Wichita).
In New Mexico, we saw the Indian tribes distribute their gaming income to all of their members, especially helping the elderly and college student needing scholarships. How about using gaming income for things that we don't see most churches doing?
Some anti-gaming people make a big point about gambling additions. The rampant drug additions in Kansas towns validates the fact that even illegal activities go on while most Christians don't pitch in. In New Mexico, there were many people who helped addicts out with mineral therapies (zinc and magnesium). But where are these same Kansas anti-gaming voices to personally help out addicts? There are several methods that can help addicts out, if people get personally involved.
But don't expect the anti-casino to personally get involved -- just protest things they don't like and then walk away.
P.S. At Las Vegas, on three separate times I lost my wallet, checkbook, and keys. All three times they were returned to me with nothing missing. But here in south central Kansas, I lost my wallet and some A-hole has to do nasty and illegal things with the contents and never return anything to me. Explain that!!!
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