WELLINGTON ? Residents and officials here have sent Sumner County Commissioners cards, letters, petitions and other notes to show their support for a state-owned casino in their town.

But financial reality may make a stronger case for a casino to be built to the north near Mulvane where public support for gambling is much weaker.

Commissioners were scheduled to hold public hearings on Monday and Tuesday to review the proposals of four casino companies. Two – Penn National Gaming and Marvel Gaming – are looking to build in Wellington while another two – Harrah’s Entertainment and MGM Mirage – are targeting the Mulvane interchange on the Kansas Turnpike, just across the county line separating Sedgwick and Sumner counties.

A new state law allows a single casino in each of four areas – Ford County, Wyandotte County, either Cherokee or Crawford County, and either Sedgwick or Sumner County. But the law also required local voter approval, and Sedgwick County voted against a casino Aug. 7, meaning Sumner County has sole claim to one in that area.

Commissioners plan to endorse one or more of the proposed casinos on Wednesday before sending them to the Kansas Lottery, which will own the casino. A state committee working for the lottery will pick the location in the spring.

State Rep. Vince Wetta, D-Wellington, who fought in the Legislature to get a casino for the county, said public correspondence sent to the Sumner County Courthouse is running more than 8-1 for Wellington.

He said some of it is coming from people in Mulvane, most of which lies in Sedgwick County and whose residents voted against expanded gambling.

“You got two huge corporations trying to shove this down the people’s throat where the people don’t want it,” Wetta said. “Are you going to let the corporations run this county or the people?”

Residents give their opinion

County Clerk Shane Shields said more than 300 letters and e-mails have coming into the county, including a 920-signature petition in favor of Wellington and another 156-name petition advocating that the commission recommend all four. Only 13 letters have supported Mulvane, he said.

Mulvane residents opposed to a casino have also contacted their local officials, with more than 600 signing a petition asking the City Council to pass an ordinance prohibiting a casino in the city and denying city services to a casino.

Council members rejected that petition as unconstitutional, although they have asked the Kansas attorney general’s office to review it.

Maximizing revenue

The companies proposing a Mulvane location are banking on the county and state officials to follow the part of the state’s new gambling law that requires the contract that “best maximizes revenue, encourages tourism and otherwise serves the interest of the people of Kansas.”

Harrah’s said in its proposal that a Mulvane location will generate $274 million a year by the third year of operation, attracting 3.1 million visitors. A Wellington location, on the other hand, would generate only $170 million and draw 2.2 million visitors, the company said.

MGM’s analysis, performed by consultant the Innovation Group, also sided with a Mulvane casino, saying it would generate $190 million in revenue and 2.7 million visitors versus $168 million and 2.3 million visitors for a casino in Wellington.

The consultant said that would equate to an additional $725,000 in annual gaming taxes coming to Sumner County and $5.3 million in additional revenue for the state.

Penn National Gaming didn’t provide revenue estimates in its proposal but said it expected “significant” out-of-state business because of its proximity to Oklahoma.

“The Oklahoma gaming market is much more mature than Kansas due to existing tribal-gaming facilities,” it said, “and the superior facility and amenities of the Hollywood Casino will draw the largest share of occasional and regular visitors to Sumner County.”

Harrah’s said Sumner County must build a much larger and grandiose casino to compete with established casinos in neighboring Oklahoma and Missouri, while MGM said drivers were more likely to pass by a Wellington casino and continue to ones in Oklahoma.

Marvel Gaming said in its proposal that community support should trump many of the economic questions.

“It is impossible to successfully market entertainment and hospitality in a community where hostility toward the business is present,” the company said.

Penn National added that it would be unfair for Sumner and Sedgwick county residents to “virtually locate a casino in a county that voted against it,” and said the Wellington area is in more need of economic development.