WELLINGTON ? For the third time in two years, developers are pitching plans to build a state-owned casino in a south-central Kansas county.

The Sumner County Commission this week heard proposals from three developers, including one that withdrew from building a casino in the county two years ago.

The commission is expected to make its endorsements next week.

Peninsula Gaming Partners, of Dubuque, Iowa, and Harrah’s Sumner Investment Co. both want to build a casino near Mulvane. The third, Oklahoma-based Global Gaming, would build its casino outside Wellington.

Representatives for Harrah’s, which withdrew its bid to build a casino in the county two years ago citing economic conditions, told the commission that 2.5 million people who live within three hours of Sumner County have Harrah’s rewards cards, The Wichita Eagle reported Wednesday.

Commissioners wanted to know what had changed since Harrah’s withdrew its 2008 bid.

Trevor Busche, vice president for development at Harrah’s, said it had dropped a Topeka-based partner that it had two years ago.

“There was certain level of stress within their organization at the time,” Busche said. “Sometimes interests diverge.”

The first phase of Harrah’s proposal includes a casino on 170 acres, with a variety of restaurants, hotel, meeting-room space and an outdoor entertainment area.

Harrah’s newest proposal would require an investment of $260 million, much smaller than the $560 million plan it presented in 2008. Busche said the current plan is more in line with the economic conditions.

“We’re back for a second time because we really believe in this market,” Busche said. “We wouldn’t be back if we didn’t intend to follow through.”

Representatives of Global Gaming pointed out that the company operates five entertainment venues along Interstate 35, including casinos in Thackerville and Norman, Okla.

Global CEO John Elliott said the company would invest $255 million in its casino near Wellington.

The proposal would include an oval asphalt track for car and motorcycle racing.

The first phase would be a 260,000-square-foot facility and include an entertainment and events center, hotel, restaurants and bars. It also would upgrade the Wellington Municipal Golf Course.

The proposal from Peninsula was the most expensive, calling for an investment of $300 million. The Dubuque, Iowa-based company’s first phase would include a hotel and a casino with 1,500 slot machines and a 10-table poker room.

In the second phase, Peninsula would build an equestrian event center, which would initially include a 100,000-square-foot, 4,200-seat indoor facility.

Peninsula CEO Brent Stevens told the commission that the rodeo and show-horse circuits in the region don’t have adequate facilities.

The company didn’t bid the first two times because it was building other projects, he said.

“But it was bigger than that,” Stevens said. “It didn’t make any economic sense at the time. This is the time for us to build.”

A second attempt to build a casino in Sumner County failed last spring when Chisholm Creek Casino Resort withdrew its plans to build and manage a casino near Mulvane because of possible competition from a tribal casino in Park City, a Wichita suburb.

The three developers on Tuesday said they weren’t concerned about that possibility.

“We’re not afraid to compete in markets where we have to compete against other operators,” Busche said.