WELLINGTON ? Sumner County commissioners on Wednesday unanimously endorsed two proposals to build a casino near the Wellington exit of the Kansas Turnpike, spurning two other more controversial proposals that would have put a casino to the north near the county line.

The board favored the proposals of Penn National Gaming and Marvel Gaming after public comment overwhelmingly supported casinos at the Wellington sites.

The commissioners’ recommendation now goes to the Kansas Lottery, which will own the casino. A state committee working for the lottery will pick the location in the spring.

Commissioners rejected proposals from the two largest companies, Harrah’s Entertainment and MGM Mirage, which wanted to put a casino near the Mulvane interchange on the 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. The law also requires local voter approval, and Sedgwick County residents voted against a casino, meaning Sumner County has sole claim to one in that area.

Nearly 150 people attended hearings on the proposals Monday and Tuesday, with most of those who spoke favoring a casino near Wellington rather Mulvane.

State Rep. Vince Wetta, D-Wellington, fought in the Legislature for Sumner County to get a casino and wants it near Wellington. He said state leaders did not want a casino to be located where people don’t want it.

“It’s going to break my heart if this goes north,” Wetta said.

Of the 38 speakers who addressed county commissioners Tuesday, five favored a casino near Mulvane, three urged commissioners to endorse all four casino proposals, and one wanted them to endorse all proposals except the one by Marvel Gaming. The others wanted the casino in Wellington.

Speakers cited community support for the Wellington location and contended that the economic benefits of a casino should remain in Sumner County rather spill over into Sedgwick County.

Many of those who spoke Tuesday against a casino near Mulvane live there. They mentioned a petition signed by about 900 residents asking the Mulvane City Council to bar a casino from the city and deny city services to a casino.

The state attorney general’s office ruled that petition improper and invalid, and in conflict with existing governmental contracts and state law.

“The petition is not invalid. The petition is the voice of people of Mulvane talking to you, and people are not invalid,” said Mulvane resident Jennifer Dick.

Tammy Dossey, another Mulvane resident, told commissioners the proposals show that more gaming revenue would be generated by a casino at that exit and urged commissioners to consider the economic benefits it would bring the county as a whole.

State Rep. Ted Powers, R-Mulvane, supported all four proposals to the state, saying that would help heal a split in the county that has developed over the issue.

“There is no fight. The people spoke, the majority, and it is Wellington,” said Wellington resident David Carr.