Kansas City, Kan. — Any indoor smoking ban enacted in Kansas City, Kan., likely will include an exemption for the casino floor at the planned Hard Rock Hotel and Casino at Kansas Speedway, a Unified Government spokesman said Friday.
The Board of Commissioners for the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kan., discussed the proposed smoking ban Thursday night but took no action. It didn't say when it might revisit the issue.
At the meeting was Speedway President Jeff Boerger, who indicated a smoking ban in the casino could cause a reconsideration of going forward with the project, expected to generate some $19 million a year for the Unified Government after it opens in 2011.
Asked Friday whether his comments to the commission meant a smoking ban for the casino would mean the casino wouldn't be built, Boerger said, "I did mention it puts us at a disadvantage, and we have to go back to the drawing board. It changes the revenues."
But he added, "We are committed to a world-class facility and we are going to make it happen."
Boerger said studies show that when casinos ban smoking, there is a 15 percent to 20 percent drop in revenue that isn't recovered. He said nearby riverboat casinos operating in Kansas City, Mo., allow smoking, as does a tribal casino in downtown Kansas City, Kan.
"We can't afford to be put at a disadvantage by being put in a position of competing with states without a smoking ban," he said. "We believe working with the Unified Government we will come up with a good solution."
Unified Government spokesman Mike Taylor said the proposed ban is a work in progress and any final version will take the casino into account.
"I am extremely confident they will exempt the casino floor, but the final decision is up to the commission," Taylor said. "After working 15 years to get a casino, the commission is going to be very careful about doing something that will cripple it out of the chute."
Taylor said a smoking ban could extend to the casino hotel and its bars and restaurants because exempting them would create an unfair advantage to competing businesses that would be covered by a ban.
"Almost everyone from a health perspective realizes that banning it in as many places as possible is good healthwise, but there are business and economic concerns that have to be balanced against the health concerns," Taylor said.
The Lottery Gaming Facility Review Board awarded a 15-year management contract to a partnership that includes the Speedway and Baltimore-based Cordish Co., subject to final approval by the Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission. The Kansas Lottery owns the gambling and the partnership handles the day-to-day operations.
Plans call for a $680 million complex with 3,000 slot machines, a 300-room hotel and convention center, restaurants, bars and retail outlets. It would overlook the No. 2 turn of the 1 1/2 mile D-shaped track.
It's expected to employ some 2,500 people and have an annual economic effect on the area of some $350 million.
The Speedway plans to add a second NASCAR Sprint Cup race, expected to generate $111 million. It also says it will build a road course in its infield and have a Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car race there by 2011 and bring in thousands of recreational vehicle users each year for a rally generating millions in revenue.
Comments
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texburgh (anonymous) says…
Another threat. Build a non-smoking casino that's nice and the non-smokers will leave KCMO and the Indian casino and come to the speedway. Adopt a ban and let it apply to the casino floor.
scott3460 (anonymous) says…
Allowing smoking will speed the day that the smokers who patronize the place die, which is a good thing overall. But, if this is a public project, shouldn't the public have a say. Put it to a vote.
snap_pop_no_crackle (anonymous) says…
I see girlfriend has a new stinking pit to plug here on LJW. I recall that some cool poster got disappeareded for doing that in post after post after post.
scott3460 (anonymous) says…
What's wrong with stating a fact, Marion? Smoking addicts die sooner than those of us who do not choose to inflict this filthy habit on the public. The sooner there are fewer of you around the more pleasant public places will be, the lower my taxes and health bills will be, and the less risk there will be that a smoker will impose lung cancer on me as a result of second hand smoke. Sounds like a win for everyone, except, of course, for the addict.
cheeseburger (anonymous) says…
Well said, texburgh! Those of us who would like to patronize a casino, but do not because we cannot tolerate the smoke, would love to have a place to go!madmike - you don't want anyone else's will imposed on you, but you don't seem to mind imposing your (cancer-causing) will on others. Why is that fair? You can continue to patronize the smoking venues if you wish, but there is nothing wrong with having one smoke-free casino out of many! Despite the statistics, I think it could do quite well. Remember all the restaurants and bars that were going to have to close once the ban was enacted locally? They're still here!
cheeseburger (anonymous) says…
Please do tell, Mr. Lynn, what is wrong with having one out of many casinos be non-smoking? It is my opinion that there are a number of people, such as myself, who do not currently go to casinos because of the smoke. Seemingly, the Speedway/Legends area is being developed to be family-friendly, and a ban on indoor smoking would seem to be a good fit for the area.
compmd (anonymous) says…
"Any indoor smoking ban enacted in Kansas City, Kan., likely will include an exemption for the casino floor at the planned Hard Rock Hotel and Casino at Kansas Speedway, a Unified Government spokesman said Friday."and"expected to generate some $19 million a year for the Unified Government after it opens in 2011."Thus proving once again that if you have (or can get) lots of money, the law doesn't have to apply to you. Enforce the ban *equally*, no playing favorites.
snap_pop_no_crackle (anonymous) says…
marioni's in high gear plugging his own 'forum', I see. He'd kinda quit that for a while, but has fallen off the wagon.
snap_pop_no_crackle (anonymous) says…
Actually they're just sites parked on godaddy. I suppose the off-shore people haven't built anything for bub yet.
The_Original_Bob (anonymous) says…
"Should the UG enact a discriminatory smoking ban; one which provides for unequal enforcement, the UG and the state willl be so overwhelmed with lawsuits from from smaller buinesses being treated unfarily that the whole idea of a smoking ban in KCK/Wyco will be flushed."They are merely attempting to mirror KCMO's law. KCMO is smoke free yet allows smoking on gaming floors in casinos. This is typical across the country that have anti-smoking ordinances and casinos. Hypocritical? Yes. Legal? Obviously.
The_Original_Bob (anonymous) says…
Marion - Serious question. As a resident of WYCO, do you think the proposed anti-smoking law will pass? I don't think it does.
jonas_opines (anonymous) says…
"Enforce the ban *equally*, no playing favorites."Repeal the ban *equally,* allow the smoke-free proponents to fight their own fight equally, with their dollars and their personal choices, and maybe we wouldn't have governmental favorites or hypocricy. Though I must admit that I found Larry's sudden delight in government intervention to be highly amusing. Almost as if his stated belief that too many people rely on the assitance of the the government is really just a pretty cover over his constant inner monologue of "memememememememe."