COLUMBUS ? A second round of talks between Penn National Gaming and Cherokee County ended with no deal, setting the stage for a trial in the county’s $53 million lawsuit.

The two sides met Tuesday in Wichita for mediation in Cherokee County’s Sept. 11, 2008, lawsuit. A mediation session a year ago also yielded no settlement.

The county says the gambling company breached its contract when it withdrew its plan to build a casino in the county, claiming competition from a nearby casino in Oklahoma made its plans no longer viable.

The Joplin Globe reports County Commissioner Richard Hilderbrand wouldn’t say how much Penn National was offering, but did say it was nowhere near what Cherokee County was seeking.

Hilderbrand says his county is well positioned to go to trial in the case.