Microsoft Word document of news release

DATE: June 25, 2009
CONTACT: Sally Lunsford (785) 296-5708, sally.lunsford@kslottery.net

Lottery Commission Seeks 60-Day Extension in NE and SC Zones

TOPEKA, KAN. – During a special meeting today, the Kansas Lottery Commission voted to request that Governor Parkinson extend the deadline for the Lottery to negotiate contracts with casino developers in the state’s Northeast and South Central gaming zones.

Lottery Executive Director Ed Van Petten and the Lottery Commission will ask the Governor for a 60-day extension of the June 30 deadline, which he is expected to approve. The new deadline would be August 28, 2009.

Included in the Kansas Expanded Lottery Act is a provision allowing the Governor to extend deadlines for a period not to exceed 60 days if he determines that “the respective commission or board has acted on good faith to comply with the time limit.”

In requesting the deadline extension, the Lottery’s Director of Gaming Facilities Keith Kocher said, “The Lottery and the applicants have issues that remain unresolved and which prevent the Lottery from executing contracts with them prior to the deadline. The applicants agree that it is necessary and prudent at this time to request an extension of the current deadline.”

Kocher added that, “All parties have acknowledged they intend to reach agreement far in advance of the new August 28 deadline.”

To approve contracts, the Lottery must determine that developers meet minimum requirements as provided in the Kansas Expanded Lottery Act. Those requirements include local endorsement, the applicant’s gaming experience and financial status.
Contracts approved by the Lottery Commission will be forwarded to the seven-member Lottery Gaming Facility Review Board, which will select one developer in each gaming zone to construct and manage a destination casino.

Developers submitting applications to be Lottery Gaming Facility managers are:

Northeast Gaming Zone (Wyandotte County)
Penn Hollywood Kansas, Inc.
Kansas Entertainment, LLC

South Central Gaming Zone (Sumner County)
Lakes Kansas Development, LLC
South Central Gaming Partners, LLC
Chisholm Creek Casino Resort

The next regular meeting of the Kansas Lottery Commission is scheduled for Wednesday, July 15 at 11:15 a.m. The meeting will be held via teleconference at the Kansas Lottery, located at 128 North Kansas Ave. in Topeka.

Parties interested in listening to the meeting may do so by accessing the conference line at the Lottery’s expense.

CONFERENCE CALL INSTRUCTIONS

Dial the Phone Number: (877) 278-8686
Enter the PIN Number when prompted: 789296

NOTE: Non-participating callers, please mute your phone to reduce noise on the line and to allow for an orderly meeting. If you are unsure of how to mute your personal phone, you may use one of the functions below to mute, un-mute, or adjust the volume.

*7 – Mute your phone
*9 – Un-mute your phone
*2 – Increase volume
*8 – Decrease volume