Hollywood Casino sees drop in revenues in April following highway construction in Johnson County

The Hollywood Casino at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kan., reported a 3.8 percent decline, a decrease of about $474,000 in gaming revenues from April 2015 to April 2016.

The figures, discussed at the Kansas Lottery Commission today, were in a written report to the Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission.

“We did experience a noticeable drop in revenues beginning on April 10 when, as part of the ongoing construction of the Johnson County Gateway Project, they closed the ramps allowing access to Interstate-435 westbound from Interstate-35,” Rick Skinner, Hollywood Casino at Kansas Speedway general manager reported to the Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission.

Gaming revenues at the Hollywood Casino at Kansas Speedway also showed a decline from March to April, according to figures presented today at the Kansas Lottery Commission meeting.

Gaming revenues were $12.9 million in March as compared to $12.04 million in April, according to Keith Kocher, director of program assurance and integrity for the Kansas Lottery.

There was a brief discussion on whether it was due to an economy that was going soft, or to other factors. Kocher said he had heard that when new interstate highway construction started in the Johnson County area with some ramps closing during mid-April, the casino lost some revenue.

For the past month, two other state casinos in Kansas showed mixed results. Boot Hill Casino in Dodge City, Kan., showed an increase from March to April of about $42,000, and Kansas Star Casino in Mulvane, Kan., showed a decrease. Kansas Star gaming revenue declined about 1 percent from April 2015 to April 2016, according to a report to the Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission. Boot Hill also reported a decline in this April’s revenues compared to April 2015 revenues, down 1.7 percent.

Kocher said he attended a groundbreaking recently for a new casino in southeast Kansas. There is currently a lawsuit concerning this casino, and post-trial motions are being heard in an appeal.

In a written report to the Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission, Hollywood Casino vice president and general manager Rick Skinner said a comparison of April 2016 to April 2015 showed a 3.8 percent decline, a decrease of about $474,000. Slots revenue was relatively flat, according to his report. Table games revenue decreased about $518,000, or 27 percent from the prior year, according to the report. There was a significant decrease in hold percentage, according to his report.

The Kansas Lottery also reported today an increase in Powerball ticket sales due to a recent high jackpot.