Month: June 2017

Public hearings on American Royal, Village East, and Argentine fast-food project planned at Thursday’s UG meeting

A public hearing on a proposed project plan for the northwest Speedway area STAR bond district and the American Royal project is on Thursday night’s Unified Government Commission agenda.

The Unified Government Commission is scheduled to meet at 5 and 7 p.m. Thursday, June 15, at City Hall, 701 N. 7th St., Kansas City, Kansas.

The 5 p.m. meeting, in the fifth floor conference room, will be a discussion on the Juvenile Center project. After the 5 p.m. meeting will be a closed executive session on labor and litigation.

The public hearing on the American Royal project, the Village East area and the Argentine fast-food development will be at the 7 p.m. meeting. These three projects use bonds and incentives. According to the agenda, commission action on the American Royal project will be taken at a later date.

Also on Thursday’s agenda are a plan for extended bus service that would reach the new Amazon development near 69th and Riverview Avenue, and an agreement between the UG and the Fairfax Drainage District to reimburse the district for the use of the district’s sewer system.

The UG also is scheduled to receive the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, and also to hear a presentation of the county administrator’s report.

The Land Bank Board of Trustees will meet to consider actions at the end of the UG meeting.

On the list of actions for the Land Bank:

Applications:
1718 S. 17th St. – Julian Flores, yard extension
2514 N. 91st St. – Alfred Walker, Jr., yard extension
73 S. 12th St. – Graciela Solis, yard extension
1730 Booker St. – Luis Hernandez-Olivas, yard extension
3041 N. 20th St. – Robert Easterwood, yard extension
2300 R S. 39th St. – Willard Walker, Sr., yard extension
2416 N. 10th St. – Portia Warrior, yard extension
1039 Cleveland – Pedro Garcia, yard extension
3001 Farrow Ave. – Ruth Isom, yard extension
1119 Custer Ave. – Daniel Lopes, yard extension
3405 Longwood Ave. – Manuela Garcia, yard extension
2745 N. 91st St. – Emmet Lockridge, new construction
7219 Kaw Dr. – 7259 Kaw, LLC, commercial improvement
2028 S. 15th St. – Summit Waters, Inc., rehab
1131 N. 49th St. – Summit Waters, Inc., rehab
234 S. Ferree St. – M & K Repairs, rehab

Transfers to Land Bank:
6138 Haskell Ave. from Heartland Habitat for Humanity
10 N. Mill St. from Heartland Habitat for Humanity
6 N. Mill St. from Heartland Habitat for Humanity
2632 N. 21st St. from Heartland Habitat for Humanity
(Properties have been determined not suitable for new construction by Heartland Habitat for Humanity)

Donations to Land Bank:
2905 N. 13th St. from Eh Tee Ta
722 N. 62nd Pl. from Warren Sublett

To see more details about this meeting, visit the agenda online at www.wycokck.org.

Gaming revenues increased in May at Hollywood Casino

Gaming revenues increased in May at the Hollywood Casino in Kansas City, Kansas, according to a report presented today to the Kansas Lottery Commission.

Keith Kocher, director of program assurance and integrity for the Kansas Lottery, said the gaming revenues for May at Hollywood Casino were about $12.56 million, an increase of about 2 percent. In April, the gaming revenues at Hollywood Casino were about $12.25 million.

May gaming revenues at the other Kansas state casinos included:
• $3.2 million, Boot Hill, Dodge City, Kan., down from $3.67 million in April;
• $14.75 million, Kansas Star Casino, Mulvane, Kan., down from $16.26 million in April;
• $2.4 million, Kansas Crossing Casino, Pittsburg, Kan., down from $3.1 million in April, according to Kansas Lottery reports.

Cumulatively, total revenue for fiscal year 2017 from the casinos was down about 1.17 percent for the year, Kocher said. There are a few weeks left in the fiscal year.

The state of Kansas receives a percentage of the gaming revenues. The Unified Government here receives 3 percent of the gaming revenues from the Hollywood Casino.

Since its opening in 2012, the Hollywood Casino has paid $160.7 million in gaming taxes to the state of Kansas, according to lottery records. The Unified Government has received $21.9 million from Hollywood Casino in gaming taxes since its opening.

Sherriene Jones-Sontag, deputy executive director of the Kansas Lottery, said lottery ticket sales are down slightly for fiscal year 2017.

Lottery officials were hoping for a large jackpot run during the year, as they had the previous year, but didn’t really get a large rolling jackpot, she said.

The sales were still good compared to previous years, she added.

The lottery launched the Lucky for Life game in November, which came in at double the predicted revenue, she said. The lottery also launched a player loyalty program in January, and it reached more than 100,000 members in April, she said.

Jones-Sontag, who will be leaving for a new job soon, and who was the governor’s former press secretary, told the Lottery Commission that legislation has passed the Kansas Legislature and is awaiting the governor’s signature that will allow Kansas Lottery tickets to be sold in electronic vending machines.

The bill also will allow charitable organizations such as the American Legion to have bingo vending machines, and those charitable bingo machine operations will be overseen by the state Department of Revenue, she said. The charitable organizations will be able to sell bingo pull-tab tickets. The amendment concerning charitable bingo machines was the idea of the charitable organizations, she said.

Lottery vending machines will be limited to no more than two per location, she added.

Terry Presta, executive director of the Kansas Lottery, said Mega Millions will be changing its game significantly on Oct. 28. The cost of the ticket will go up to $2.

The Kansas Lottery will be adding the Lotto America game, which is a $1 ticket, he said. The new game will start Nov. 15. That is about two weeks after Mega Millions tickets go from $1 to $2.

Also, the Kansas Lottery is planning to end the Hot Lotto game in October, he said.

There is also a plan for an add-on to Powerball, going into effect April 15, 2018, which is an all-or-nothing, winner take all game, he said.

Democrats to meet June 17

Democratic state legislators from Wyandotte County will be speaking about the legislative session at the Saturday, June 17, Wyandotte County Third Saturday Democratic Breakfast at The Dotte Spot Bar and Grill, 8123 Parallel Parkway, Kansas City, Kansas.

A 2018 Democratic gubernatorial candidate, former Wichita Mayor Carl Brewer, also is scheduled to speak briefly at the meeting. Josh Svaty, also a 2018 Democratic gubernatorial candidate, spoke briefly at the May Third Saturday Democratic Breakfast.

A breakfast buffet will begin at 8:15 a.m. June 17, with the program beginning at 9:15 a.m.

The cost of the breakfast is $10, or $6 for students and those on limited incomes. There is a $2 charge for coffee for those who are not purchasing breakfast. Those attending are not required to purchase breakfast.

Reservations are requested by Thursday, June 15, email [email protected]. Reservations are encouraged, especially for those purchasing a breakfast, but not required to attend.