DATE: December 31, 2007
CONTACT: Sally Lunsford (785) 296-5708, sally.lunsford@kslottery.net

Commission Considers Extending Deadline for SW Gaming Zone

TOPEKA, KAN. – During a special meeting December 31, 2007, the Kansas Lottery Commission considered a request by the Ford County Commission to extend the deadline for submitting proposals for a lottery gaming facility manager in the Southwest Gaming Zone from 5:00 p.m. on December 26, 2007, to 5:00 p.m. on December 27.

Epic Gaming Dodge City LLC, indicated it had technical problems with the reproduction of its application and was unable to deliver the application on time. In a letter to the Kansas Lottery Commission, Ford County Commission Chair T. Kim Goodnight said, “We believe it is in the best interest of both the state and Ford County to qualify as many applicants as possible for the selection process of the casino developer in our locale.” Goodnight asked that the application deadline be extended retroactively by one day to allow consideration of the Epic Gaming proposal.

Attorneys for two other groups, Butler National Service Corporation and Dodge City Resort and Gaming Co., whose proposals for the Southwest Gaming Zone were submitted before the 5:00 p.m. December 26 deadline, voiced strong opposition to the extension during today’s special meeting.

Lottery Commissioners voted today to recess without acting on the Ford County Commission’s extension request, in order to further research and investigate the issue, and are scheduled to reconvene in a teleconference meeting at 11:15 a.m. on Monday, January 7, 2008.

The Lottery Commission asked that any interested parties wishing to submit information regarding this issue, submit it to the Commission by 12:00 noon on Friday, January 4.

Parties interested in listening to the January 7 Lottery Commission meeting may do so by accessing the conference line at the Lottery’s expense:
Dial 1-877-278-8686
Enter PIN 789296