Kansas governor may drop effort for urban casino

Monday, November 22, 2004  

Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius (D) may drop her effort for the state's first urban, off-reservation casino when lawmakers return to work in 2005.

Sebelius fought for the compact but it was derailed last week due to questions over its scope. Her chief counsel now says she "really is going to turn her attention elsewhere" to focus on other priorities next year.

The Kickapoo Tribe and the Sac and Fox Tribe want the deal to stay alive. They plan to share revenues from the casino near Kansas City in exchange for a ban on future tribal gaming and limits on slot machines at other facilities.

Those kinds of provisions led House Speaker Doug Mays (R) to block the compact. He said the full Legislature, not just a committee, should set gaming policy.

Get the Story:
Scope of casino compact created obstacle to action (AP 11/22)