Month: July 2020

Hollywood Casino figures reflect loss of revenues from COVID-19

Hollywood Casino at Kansas Speedway reported gaming revenues of $8.45 million for the month of June, according to a report to the Kansas Lottery Commission on Wednesday afternoon.

One year ago, in June 2019, the Hollywood Casino reported total gaming revenues of $12.3 million

Keith Kocher, the Kansas Lottery’s director of program assurance and integrity, reported that the four state-owned casinos’ revenues were down 17 to 21 percent for the fiscal year. The casinos were closed for about two months because of COVID-19, with Hollywood Casino reopening May 25.

In June, Boot Hill Casino in Dodge City reported $3 million; Kansas Star Casino at Mulvane, Kansas, reported $12.9 million; and Kansas Crossing Casino at Pittsburg, Kansas, reported $2.4 million, Kocher said.

Kocher said the casinos were operating under reduced capacities in May and June, and he commended everyone involved with doing as much as possible under trying circumstances.

Kocher said while there were fewer people at the casinos during this period, they were spending more.

When the Hollywood Casino and other state-owned casinos reopened in late May, they instituted social distancing, spacing out the games, with fewer machines available, and also had other rules in effect concerning dining. A mandatory mask order then went into effect June 30.

The casinos are a source of revenue for governments. Under state law, the Unified Government receives 3 percent of the gaming proceeds from the Hollywood Casino. The state’s share is 22 percent.

On June 12, the Hollywood Casino at Kansas Speedway submitted a WARN document to KansasWorks, stating it might lay off 218 employees. The law requires a 60-day notice. (https://www.kansasworks.com/ada/mn_warn_dsp.cfm?id=2094&callingfile=mn_warn_dsp.cfm&hash=2C81647DD07B843C090E1E7EBEC39CF5)

GOP 3rd District candidate to hold three in-person meet-and-greets in Wyandotte County

Adrienne Vallejo Foster is planning to hold three in-person meet-and-greet events in Wyandotte County.

A former Roeland Park mayor, Vallejo Foster is a GOP candidate for the 3rd District, U.S. representative.

Rep. Sharice Davids, D-3rd Dist., is the incumbent.

The other Republican candidates are Amanda Adkins, Overland Park; Mike Beehler, Leawood; Tom Love, Overland Park; and Sara Hart Weir, Mission. All of the candidates live in Johnson County.

The first event for Vallejo Foster will be at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 8, at the home of State Sen. Kevin Braun, 4315 N. 110th Terrace, Kansas City, Kansas.

Next will be an event 3 to 4:30 p.m. July 11 at The Fuel Stop, Classic Car facility in the Old Mill Building, 611 W. 2nd, Bonner Springs.

The third event is scheduled from 2 to 3:30 p.m. July 12 at Sarah’s on the Hill, 612 N. 5th, Kansas City, Kansas.

Those who would like to attend must RSVP to [email protected].

Vallejo Foster grew up in Wyandotte County near 10th and Central, attended All Saints School and graduated from Bishop Ward High School in 1990.

A graduate of UMKC with a master’s degree in public administration, she started a small business providing legal transcription services. She was elected to the Roeland Park City Council and later was mayor of Roeland Park. She was later appointed by Gov. Sam Brownback to be director of Latino Affairs for Kansas. President Trump later appointed her to the Small Business Administration to be an advocate for small businesses in Kansas.

Vallejo Foster’s campaign issues have been restarting the economy; reducing health care costs; protection, not control, by the government; supporting the president in protecting America from all enemies; and supporting opportunity and individual responsibility.

Thousands of Missouri, Kansas businesses received $1 million or more in federal coronavirus loans

Federal money kept 1.5 million people on the payroll in Kansas and Missouri, but the types of businesses that received the loans varied widely.

by Aviva Okeson-Haberman, Kansas News Service


More than 140,000 companies in Missouri and Kansas received loans under the federal Paycheck Protection Loan program, ranging from restaurants and franchisees to car dealerships to nursing care facilities.

While most businesses received $150,000 in loans or less to alleviate the coronavirus’ economic fallout, about 2,300 companies got $1 million or more. Data released this week by the Small Business Administration shows restaurants, physician’s offices and car dealers got the highest number of large loans in Kansas, while in Missouri, religious organizations and nursing care facilities topped the list.

In total, the program supported 1.5 million jobs in Kansas and Missouri, and the low-interest loans can be forgiven fully if a company meets requirements — including using at least 60 percent of the money for payroll costs.

Below are the companies awarded between $5 million and $10 million; the new data doesn’t include businesses that have since returned the funding.

Kansas businesses in the 2nd, 3rd or 4th Congressional districts that received $5-10 million:
• Kansas Medical Center LLC, Andover
• Heritage Tractor, Inc., Baldwin City
• Icm Holdings, Inc., Colwich
• Vvf Intervest, LLC, Kansas City
• Erik Holdings, Inc., Kansas City
• Payless Shoesource, LLC – Lawrence
• Inland Truck Parts Co., Leawood
• Gill Studios, Inc., Lenexa
• Xcellence, Inc., Mission
• Labor Source, Olathe
• Bickford Senior Living Group, LLC, Olathe
• KVC Behavioral Healthcare, Inc., Olathe
• EDP Enterprises, Inc., Overland Park
• GMRG ACQ 1, LCC., Overland Park
• Wireless Lifestyle, Overland Park
• Anesthesia Associates Of Kansas City PC, Overland Park
• Labette County Medical Center, Parsons
• Americraft Carton, Inc., Prairie Village
• Wenger Manufacturing, Inc., Sabetha
• American Pizza Partners, L.P., Wichita
• Legend Senior Living, LLC, Wichita
• Sasnak Management Corp., Wichita
• Infosync Services LLC, Wichita
• LSI Corporation Temporary Services and Placement Agency, Wichita
• Integra Holdings, Inc., Wichita
• Midwest Drywall Co., Inc., Wichita
• Professional Engineering Consultant, P.A., Wichita


Missouri businesses in the 4th and 5th Congressional districts that received $5-10 million (6th district had none):
• Accent Controls, Inc., Kansas City
• Fairbank Scales, Inc., Kansas City
• Jack Cooper Investments, Inc., Kansas City
• John Knox Village, Lee’s Summit
• Kellan Restaurant Management Corp., Kansas City
• Proenergy Acquisition Co., Sedalia
• Rpcs Inc, Rogersville
• Sioux Chief Manufacturing Co., Inc., Kansas City
• The Durham Co., Lebanon
• Srz Op Abc LLC, Harrisonville
• Rockhurst University, Kansas City
• Wagner Industries, Inc., North Kansas City
• Gregory A Deline, Columbia
• Cass Regional Medical Center, Harrisonville
• John Fitzgibbon Memorial Hospital, Inc., Marshall
• Flat Branch Mortgage, Inc., Columbia
• MRIGlobal, Inc., Kansas City
• Populous, Inc., Kansas City
• Barkley Inc., Kansas City
• Data Systems International, Inc., Kansas City
• Apple Bus Co., Inc., Cleveland
• Central Power Systems and Services, LLC, Liberty
• Kissick Construction Co., Inc., Kansas City
• Orizon Aerostructures, LLC, Kansas City
• Spencer Fane LLP, Kansas City
• Superior Bowen Asphalt Co., LLC, Kansas City
• Vance Brothers, Inc., Kansas City

Aviva Okeson-Haberman is the Missouri government and politics reporter at KCUR 89.3. Email her at [email protected]. The Kansas News Service is a collaboration of KCUR, Kansas Public Radio, KMUW and High Plains Public Radio focused on health, the social determinants of health and their connection to public policy.

Kansas News Service stories and photos may be republished by news media at no cost with proper attribution and a link to ksnewsservice.org.

See more at https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-07-07/thousands-of-missouri-kansas-businesses-received-1-million-or-more-in-federal-coronavirus-loans.