Wichita ? A Wichita hotel owner says casino gambling downtown would turn the local economy around like nothing else could.

Moti Boaziz, who owns the Radisson Broadview Hotel, said he had contacted casinos about coming to the city, and had discussed the issue with Mayor Carlos Mayans.

“Wichita needs the gaming today more than anything else,” said Boaziz, of Miami.

Mayans said he met with Boaziz to discuss the hotel and how to rejuvenate downtown Wichita, and Boaziz raised the gambling issue.

“My stance is that I have to wait and see what … the state is going to do,” he said. “People want me to comment on it, but there’s nothing for me to comment on.”

An attempt to expand legalized gambling in Kansas failed in the last legislative session, but proponents plan to push harder when the Legislature convenes in January.

“We need a change in state law which would allow each county to make their own decision about whether or not to have casino gaming in their community,” said state Sen. Chris Steineger, who plans to introduce a bill next session to allow those votes. “Individual adult Kansans should make up their own mind.”

Steineger, a Kansas City Democrat, said having a casino in Wichita made sense.

“Bit by bit your downtown is making a comeback, so it seems to me like this would just further the resurgence of downtown Wichita … by keeping home and bringing in other Kansans that are gambling anyway,” he said.

Boaziz brought in the president of Isle of Capri Casinos Inc. for a meeting with Mayans, but it was just for information purposes, a casino spokeswoman said.

“We’re always evaluating different options,” said Lori Hutzler, director of corporate communications for Isle of Capri, which has 14 properties nationwide, including one in Kansas City, Mo. “There were some discussions, but there was no deal.”

Wichita Greyhound Park owner Phil Ruffin agrees that downtown Wichita needs gambling, but he doesn’t think Boaziz is the best qualified to provide it.

“They can hardly pay their taxes,” Ruffin said in reference to the hotel’s problems with late tax payments.

Ruffin hopes to move his track to downtown Wichita and build a large venue that includes gambling and other entertainment.