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Public Info Meetings LGFRB Meetings Overview KRGC
Public Info Meetings LGFRB Meetings Overview KRGC
Public Info Meetings LGFRB Meetings Overview KRGC
A. Purpose/Background
In the discharge of its powers, duties and responsibilities, the Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission (Commission) must conduct itself according to high ethical standards. The Commission's members, employees and agents are expected to discharge their duties with loyalty and in such a manner to as to promote and preserve public trust and confidence in the Commission and the regulatory process.
It is therefore essential that the Commission's members, employees and agents must avoid situations where private interest in outside business activities and opportunity for financial or personal gain could influence their decision in giving favored treatment to any organization or person. They must avoid circumstances and conduct in outside activities that appear questionable to the general public.
B. Policy/Procedure
1.Policy and Application.
a. The purpose of this Code is to assure that the Commission's members, employees and agents avoid situations, relationships or associations that may lead to or represent a conflict of interest for the Commission or its members, employees and agents. The provisions in this Code are intended to augment statutory provisions. All Commission members, employees and agents should remain aware of their responsibilities under the Kansas Expanded Lottery Act and other statutes governing gaming law and ethical conduct of public officials and state employees and agents. For purposes of this Code the terms "employee" or "agent" shall include all state employees in the service of the Commission. If an employee or agent of the Commission has a question or concern as to the applicability of this Code to a current or prospective situation, relationship or association, that question or concern should be presented to the Executive Director for clarification or guidance.
b. Each member of the Commission and all of its employees are directed to read and comply with this Code of Conduct. Upon accepting an appointment to the Commission or employment with the Commission, each member or employee shall sign a statement acknowledging that they have read the Code of Conduct, understand its terms and agree to abide by its terms as currently adopted or as may be amended from time to time. Should a member of the Commission or employee find himself or herself unable or unwilling to comply with the Code of Conduct as adopted herein or as may be amended,
such member or employee shall immediately inform the members of the Commission and the Executive Director.
c. No Commission member, employee or agent shall use or attempt to use his or her official position to secure any privilege, advantage, favor or influence for himself, herself or others.
d. Commission members, employees and agents of the Commission shall bear responsibility for adherence to this policy and to the specific prohibitions and restrictions set forth in this Code
e. Certain of the prohibitions in this Subpart (1) affect or extend to the spouses, parents and children of Commission members, employees or agents. For purposes of this Code, these represent the lineal relations of Commission members, employees and agents and, in the case of children, legally adopted children. It is recognized that in some cases, a Commission member, employee or agent may have limited influence over the decisions of lineal relatives, and that limited influence will be taken into consideration in evaluating the circumstances of an alleged violation.
2. Duty to Avoid Conflict of Interest
a. Commission members, employees and agents and their respective spouses, parents and children have a duty to avoid relationships that may cause or have the appearance of causing a conflict of interest. A conflict of interest means a situation in which a Commission member's, employee's or agent's private interest, whether personal, financial or otherwise, influences or creates the appearance that it may influence the Commission member's, employee's or agent's judgment in the performance of his or her regulatory duties and responsibilities in a fair and impartial manner.
3. Gambling and Other Restrictions
a. Except as may be required in the conduct of official duties, a Commission member, employee or agent shall not engage in gambling at any lottery gaming facility or racetrack gaming facility in Kansas, or engage in legalized gambling in any establishment identified by Commission action that, in the judgment of the Commission, could represent a potential for a conflict of interest.1
b. Commission members, employees or agents shall not engage in excessive or inappropriate fraternization with licensees and adhere to policies and directives regarding personal conduct while on the premises of any entity subject to licensure or approval by the Commission.
c. Commission members, employees or agents are prohibited from accepting any complimentary services from any entity or individual licensed by the Commission.
d. No Commission member, employee or agent shall stay overnight in a guest room at any facility licensed or certified by the Commission except in the normal course of his/her duties.
4. Other Employment
a. Commission members, employees and agents must not hold or pursue employment, office, position, business or occupation that may conflict with the Commission member, employee or agent's official duties. Commission members, employees and agents may engage in other employment so long as it does not interfere or conflict with their duties, provided that such employment is disclosed to the Executive Director of the Commission and approved by the Commission or its designee.
b. Disclosure of other employment must be made at the time of appointment to the Commission or at the time the employee is hired to work for the Commission or prior to accepting the other employment. Any Commission member who discloses outside employment to the Commission shall recuse himself or herself from any discussion and decision made by the Commission relative to his/her outside employment.
c. Commission members, employees and agents may not solicit, suggest, request or recommend the appointment of any person to an office, place or position or the hiring of any person for direct or indirect employment to any applicant for or holder of a license issued by the Commission or to any representative or agent of such applicant for or holder of a license issued by the Commission.
5. Restrictions on Receiving Gifts
a. Commission members, employees and agents and their spouses, children and parents may not, directly or indirectly, accept any gift, gratuity, service, compensation, travel, lodging or any thing of value, with the exception of unsolicited items of an incidental nature, from a Commission licensee, applicant, or their affiliates, key personnel and representatives. This prohibition may be extended by Commission action to any entity or individual that, in the judgment of the Commission, could represent a potential for a conflict of interest.
6. Prohibition on Holding or Acquiring Ownership
a. Commission members, employees or agents and their spouses, children and parents may not, directly or indirectly, hold or acquire or cause or encourage any other person to acquire any actual or contingent form of ownership interest or other financial interest in a Commission licensee, applicant, or its affiliates, key persons and representatives. This prohibition may extend to the holding or acquisition of an interest in any entity identified by Commission action that, in the judgment of the Commission, could represent the potential for or the appearance of a conflict of interest. The holding or acquisition of an interest in such entities through an indirect means - such as through a mutual fund - shall not be prohibited, except that the Commission may identify specific investments or funds that, in its judgment, are so influenced by gaming holdings as to represent the potential for or the appearance of a conflict of interest.2
b. A Commission member leaving office, or an employee or agent's termination or resignation from employment with the Commission, is precluded for a period of 1 year from acquiring any actual or contingent form of ownership interest, or other financial interest in, a licensee, applicant, or their affiliates, key personnel and representatives. This prohibition may be extended by Commission action to any entity that, in the judgment of the Commission, could represent a potential for or the appearance of a conflict of interest. The holding or acquisition of an interest in such entities through an indirect means - such as through a mutual fund - shall not be prohibited, except that the Commission may identify specific investments or funds that, in its judgment, are so influenced by gaming holdings as to represent the potential for or the appearance of a conflict of interest.
7. Prohibition on Economic Associations
a. Commission members, employees or agents and their spouses, children and parents shall not be employed by or solicit employment or directly or indirectly under contract with, or have any economic association with:
8. Disclosure of Economic Associations
a. Each Commission member who owns or is employed by a firm or business entity shall, to the best of the member's ability, identify any current economic relationship, whether direct or indirect, which could create the appearance of a conflict of interest that may exist between the Commission member's firm or business entity and any licensee, applicant, their affiliates, key personnel and representatives. The Commission member shall declare his or her intention to refrain from deliberations and voting on questions related to the gaming entity in such relationship. This requirement may be extended by Commission action to any entity or individual that, in the judgment of the Commission, could represent the potential for or the appearance of a conflict of interest.
9. Restrictions on Professional Service Agents
a. For purposes of this provision, professional service agents of the Commission include any person, corporation or organization providing legal, accounting, financial, public relations, auditing, architectural, data processing, gaming regulatory or management consulting services.
b. Professional service agents of the Commission may be subject to terms and conditions relating to restrictions or prohibitions in representation, employment and contracting with licensees, applicants, their affiliates, key personnel or representatives. Such restrictions and prohibitions shall be contained in the professional service contracts of the Commission.
10. Disclosure statements
a. Commission members and employees required by law to submit a Statement of Substantial Interest shall complete and timely file such statements and provide a copy to the Commission for its review in addition to filing with the Office of the Secretary of State. The financial disclosure statements shall be filed with the Executive Director.
11. Restrictive Covenant
a. Former Commission members, employees or agents shall not for a period of 5 years after termination of their Commission appointment or employment engage in any employment or contractual relations with, or have any financial interest in any person who was then submitting a proposal for a lottery gaming facility or racetrack gaming facility, or on behalf of any lottery gaming facility manager or racetrack gaming facility manager, any licensee, applicant, their affiliates, key personnel or representatives
b. In addition to the restrictions in K.S.A. 74-8762, former Commission members, employees or agents shall not for a period of one year after termination of their Commission appointment or employment engage in any employment or contractual relations with, or have any financial interest in, any gaming supplier licensee or its affiliates, key personnel or representatives.
c. A Commission member, employee or agent may apply to the Commission in writing for a waiver to section 11.b, and the same may be granted upon a finding of good cause by the Commission.
12. Violations
a.Violation of this Code by a member of the Commission may result in written notification to the Office of the Attorney General for consideration of a possible ouster action, per K.S.A. 74-714. Violation of this Code by a Commission employee or agent may result in discipline up to and including termination. Violation of this Code by professional service agents of the Commission may result in warning letters leading up to termination of the professional service agent contract with the Commission.
13. Ex Parte Communications
a. No member of the Commission shall knowingly have ex parte communications relating to a matter pending before the Commission that may require a public vote of the Commission with any party or any representative or agent of a party to the matter pending before the Commission or any person with a material interest in the outcome of the matter pending before the Commission. As ex parte communications, either oral, written, electronic or otherwise communicated, may occur inadvertently, any member of the Commission participating in such communication shall report the details about the communication to the Executive Director
C. Citations/References
K.S.A. 74-714; Kansas Expanded Lottery Act (2007 S.B. 66)
D. Attachments
Form 201-01 Code of Conduct Receipt
E. Action
The provisions of this Code shall be effective and binding as of September 20, 2007, upon the Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission's members, employees and agents. Amendments to the Code shall be effective and binding on the date of adoption.
Members of the Commission consist of:
David Moses (Chair)
David Moses from Wichita, is an attorney in private practice as the owner of Moses Law in Wichita, Kansas. In January, 2020, he retired as General Counsel for Wichita State University. Mr. Moses is admitted to practice law in Kansas, U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas, the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals and the U.S. Supreme Court. He was appointed to the Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission in November, 2012 by Governor Sam Brownback and as chair by Governor Laura Kelly in 2021.Born and raised in Wichita, Mr. Moses graduated from Washburn University with a Bachelor of Business Degree in 1976, received his Juris Doctor degree from Washburn University School of Law in 1979 and was admitted to the Kansas Bar the same year. After graduation, he served as an Assistant District Attorney for the Sedgwick County District Attorney. In 1990, Mr. Moses left his position as a Chief Administrative Attorney for the District Attorney to be of counsel with Curfman, Harris, Rose & Weltz, becoming a partner with Curfman, Harris less than a year later. He left Curfman, Harris to become a shareholder with the Wichita law firm of Case, Moses Zimmerman & Martin, P.A. which had offices in Wichita, Kansas City, and Yates Center. He later became managing member of Moses and Pate, LLC where his practice included federal, state and local criminal defense work and civil litigation in the areas of personal injury, education law, business disputes and employment. In 2015, Moses became General Counsel for Wichita State University.
Mr. Moses has been active in local and state activities as a member of the City of Wichita Police & Fire Retirement Board, member of the Washburn University Board of Regents, Chairman of the Kansas Commission for Peace Officer Standards and Training, commissioner on the Kansas Continuing Legal Education Commission and instructor of Sports Law at Wichita State University. Mr. Moses is a member of the Wichita Bar Association, Kansas Bar Association, American Bar Association, and former member of the National Association of College and University Attorneys. He is married to Terri Moses and they have two married adult sons and four grandchildren, all whom reside in Wichita.
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Larry Turnquist (Secretary)
Larry Turnquist from Salina, Kansas is a former State Representative to the Kansas House and a retired Insurance Agent. Larry still farms in McPherson County and also serves as trustee of a family educational trust.
Mr. Turnquist graduated from Lindsborg High School in 1970 and then attended Hutchinson Community College and received an Associate of Arts degree in 1972. He then finished his education at Bethany College in Lindsborg, Kansas receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1974. In 1976 Mr. Turnquist was elected to the House of Representatives to represent the 69th district in Salina, Kansas and continued to represent the 69th district until January of 1993. Mr. Turnquist served on the House Insurance Committee as both Chairman and ranking minority member. He also served on the Ways and Means Committee and the Joint Committee on rules and regulations. In 1994, Mr. Turnquist was appointed to serve on the Kansas Department of Labor's employment security board of review and served as Chairman until 2013.
During the time that Mr. Turnquist was serving in the Kansas House, he owned and operated Smoky Valley Insurance in Lindsborg, Kansas and continued to run his business until 2013 at which time he sold the agency.
Mr. Turnquist was appointed to the Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission in March of 2018 by Governor Jeff Colyer.
Brandon L. Jones from Ottawa, serves as the Franklin County Attorney. He was appointed to the Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission in May, 2015, by former Governor Sam Brownback and was re-appointed in April, 2021, by Governor Laura Kelly.
A lifelong Kansan who was born and raised in Osage County, Mr. Jones graduated from Lyndon High School in 1993, earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Kansas in May, 1997, and then attended the University of Kansas School of Law, graduating with a Juris Doctorate in May, 2000. He passed the Kansas bar exam and was admitted to both the Kansas state and federal bars in September, 2000.
While in law school, Mr. Jones interned at the United States Attorney’s Office in Topeka, Kansas and at the Johnson County District Attorney’s Office in Olathe, Kansas. Since graduating, Mr. Jones has worked as an Assistant County Attorney in the Franklin County Attorney’s Office in Ottawa, Kansas from May, 2000, through July, 2003, and as an Assistant District Attorney in the Douglas County District Attorney’s Office in Lawrence, Kansas from August, 2003 through April, 2007. In April, 2007, he was appointed Osage County Attorney by the Osage County Republican Central Committee to fill an unexpired term and won election for Osage County Attorney in November of 2008. In November, 2012, Mr. Jones was re-elected as Osage County Attorney and was also elected Anderson County Attorney. In November, 2016, Mr. Jones was re-elected as both Osage and Anderson County Attorney. In 2018, Mr. Jones was appointed as Franklin County Attorney by the Franklin County Republican Central Committee to fill an unexpired term and won election for Franklin County Attorney in November of 2020.
Sheryl Spalding is a Republican who served three terms as a member of the Kansas House of Representatives. Prior to that, she served two terms on the Blue Valley Board of Education, including one year as President.
In addition, she volunteered 5 years as a Court appointed special advocate (CASA) for children in need of care and was appointed four years to the Johnson County Commission on Aging and two years to the Johnson County Library Board.
Below is a summary of events related to racing and gaming.
In 1986, the voters of the state of Kansas amended Article 15, Section 3b of the Kansas Constitution, allowing the state to “permit, regulate, license and tax” horse and dog racing and pari-mutuel wagering.
In 1987, the Kansas Legislature passed the Kansas Parimutuel Racing Act to implement the will of the voters. The KPRA created the Kansas Racing Commission to license and regulate pari-mutuel wagering and racing in Kansas.
The first executive director of the KRGC was Jimmy Grenz. He was appointed in 1987, and worked until 1990. The first commissioners were Harry Anthony, Kay Arvin, Bert Cantwell, Phil Martin and Alfred Schroeder. Each of these commissioners was appointed in 1987, but their terms were staggered so they would not all expire at the same time. Through 2009, 25 individuals have served on the Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission.
In 1989 the Woodlands Racetrack was opened in Kansas City as the first facility to be regulated by the KRGC. At opening, the track featured only a greyhound track. A horse racing track was subsequently added to the facility during its second year of operation. Wichita Greyhound Park opened in Wichita in 1989, becoming the second commercial track regulated by the Commission.
In 1990, Dan Hamer took over as executive director of the agency, a post he held until March of 1991. Following his time as executive director, Dana Nelson, Janet Chubb and Art Neuhedel each served as the executive director.
The only other commercial parimutuel facility to be licensed by the KRGC was Camptown Greyhound Park in Frontenac, which opened in 1995. That same year, Myron Scafe took over as the executive director of the KRGC, a post he held until 2000.
In November of 1995, Camptown Greyhound Park closed after only six months of operation. That same month, the Woodlands begins to push for slot machines at the track to help generate revenue, as the track was forced to cut both its horse and greyhound racing schedules to cut costs.
However, legislation to amend the Kansas constitution failed in the Senate during the 1996 legislative session. This proposal would have put an initiative on the ballot to amend the state constitution to allow slot machines at the racetrack. Similar bills introduced during the legislative session also fail. Meanwhile, the Woodlands files for bankruptcy protection.
Having seen statewide measures fail, the Kansas City city council introduces a ballot initiative locally in 1996 to allow slot machines at the Woodlands by amending the city’s charter. The initiative passed by an overwhelming majority, but the Kansas Attorney General’s Office argues that the vote was unconstitutional, and threatens to file charges if slot machines are placed at the facility.
More expanded gambling legislation is introduced (and defeated) during the 1997 legislative session. Late in 1997, Phil Ruffin, Sr., a casino operator in Las Vegas, purchases Wichita Greyhound Park in an attempt to save the struggling track.
In late 1998, ownership of the Woodlands transfers to William Grace, who owns the vast majority of the track’s debt.
Following the failure of another expanded gaming bill in 1999, Phil Ruffin purchases the Camptown Greyhound Park and merges its ownership with Wichita Greyhound Park to make the tracks more financially viable. Camptown opens the next year for just over two months before closing again. No racing has been conducted at Camptown since November 13, 2000.
Tracy Diel stepped in as executive director in September of 2000 and served in that position until May 2005.
From 2001 through 2006, new gambling legislation is proposed in the legislature nearly every year. Each year, it fails. In 2005, Stephen Martino was appointed as executive director of the agency.
In 2007, the Kansas Legislature was presented with the Kansas Expanded Lottery Act. This act allowed for the state of Kansas to own and operate a “destination casino resort” in four gaming zones – northeast, southeast, south central and southwest – within the state of Kansas. In addition to allowing for these destination casino resorts, KELA allowed each of the licensed pari-mutuel tracks within the state to contract with the Kansas Lottery to have electronic gaming machines (slot machines) placed at the tracks.
The Kansas Expanded Lottery Act passed through the Kansas legislature, but the legality of the legislation was still at issue. To clear up any further challenges to the constitutionality of the Expanded Lottery Act, the Attorney General’s Office filed a challenge to the act in Shawnee County district court.
In addition to the legal challenges still confronting the KELA, each gaming zone had to hold a vote to approve the casino as well as slot machines at the race track (if applicable). The vote for the casino and slot machines passed in both the northeast and southeast zones. The southwest zone voted in favor of a casino. In the south central zone, however, Sedgwick County voted against both the casino and slot machines at the racetrack. Sumner County voted in favor of the casino.
As a result of the countywide vote denying slot machines, Wichita Greyhound Park closed on October 6, 2007. No racing has been conducted at the facility since this time.
On February 1, 2008, the Shawnee County district court ruled that KELA was constitutional. This decision was immediately appealed to the Kansas Supreme Court for a final legal determination.
On June 27, 2008, the Kansas Supreme Court handed down its decision upholding the constitutionality of the Kansas Expanded Lottery Act. This decision cleared the way for both the destination casinos and the remaining racetracks to move forward under KELA.
However, neither the Woodlands or Camptown Greyhound Park were able to negotiate a contract with the Kansas Lottery to operate slot machines at their facilities. On August 23, 2008, the Woodlands ceased operations. No racing has been conducted at the facility since that time.
Still, KELA allowed for the state to negotiate a fifteen year contract in each of the four gaming zones for a destination casino manager. Thirteen applicants applied during the initial process – six in the northeast zone, four in the south central zone, two in the southwest zone and one in the southeast zone.
In the southeast zone Penn National Gaming was proposing a location in the extreme southeastern corner of Cherokee County, Kansas. This was the only proposal for the southeast zone. On August 22, 2008, the Penn National Gaming application was selected by the Kansas Lottery Gaming Facility Review Board to manage the southeast zone facility. However, before the KRGC could complete the background examination, Penn National withdrew its bid, citing the economic downturn and a change in the competitive landscape caused by the recent opening of the $300 million Downstream Casino in Oklahoma, less than 2 miles from the Penn National site.
In the south central zone Harrah’s, Penn National, MGM Mirage and Marvel Gaming all submitted bids in Sumner County. Harrah’s proposal was for a site just outside Mulvane, while Penn National and Marvel had selected sites just outside Wellington. On August 22, 2008, the Review Board selected Harrah’s as the manager in the south central zone. However, before the KRGC completed the background examination, Harrah’s withdrew its bid, citing the economic downturn.
In the northeast zone Kansas Entertainment, Sands (two separate site bids), Pinnacle, Golden Gaming, and Legends Sun submitted bids to manage a facility in Wyandotte County. Kansas Entertainment was selected as the manager, but once again, prior to having the background completed, Kansas Entertainment withdrew, citing the economic downturn and the resulting uncertainty.
In the southwest zone Dodge City Gaming and Boot Hill submitted bids to manage a facility in Ford County. On September 26, 2008 the Boot Hill casino was selected. The Boot Hill background was approved by the KRGC on December 5, 2008. The Boot Hill Casino and Resort opened to the public in December of 2009.
With the applications in the southeast, south central and northeast zone having been withdrawn, the Kansas Lottery re-opened the bid process in each zone. While there were no bidders in the southeast zone, on April 1, 2009 the Lottery announced that 3 bidders had emerged in the other two zones – Lakes Entertainment, Prairie Sky and Chisholm Creek in the south central zone, and Kansas Entertainment, Penn National and Golden Gaming in the northeast zone. However, prior to Review Board hearings in 2009, both zones were reduced to one applicant each through a series of mergers and withdrawals.
In the northeast zone, the single applicant was Kansas Entertainment, with Penn National having joined the application with the Kansas Speedway in place of the Cordish Company, while Golden Gaming dropped out. In the south central zone the applicant was Chisholm Creek Casino and Resort, with Lakes Entertainment having joined the original Chisholm application while Prairie Sky withdrew its application.
On December 1, 2009, the Review Board determined that the Kansas Entertainment contract was the “best possible contract” and forwarded it to the KRGC. However, the Board could not make the same determination for the Chisholm Creek contract, so that contract was sent back to the Kansas Lottery for renegotiation.
On February 12, 2010 the KRGC approved the license of the Kansas Entertainment project in the northeast zone (Wyandotte County). Kansas Entertainment opened its doors to the public as Hollywood Casino at Kansas Speedway on February 3, 2012.
On March 3, 2010, the Chisholm Creek Casino and Resort presented contract amendments to the Review Board. However, after a presentation to the Review Board, Chisholm Creek withdrew their bid on April 6, 2010, and the south central gaming zone was again opened for new bids. On July 22, 2010, the Lottery received three applications for a contract in the zone. Peninsula Gaming Partners, LLC proposed a lottery gaming facility in Mulvane; Global Gaming KS LLC proposed a gaming facility near Wellington; and Harrah’s Kansas proposed two sites, one in and one near Mulvane. Harrah’s withdrew their application on September 8th.
On August 25, 2010, the Review Board reconvened, and on October 28, 2010, heard presentations for the two remaining applicants for the south central zone. A Review Board vote was taken on December 15, 2010, at which time the Peninsula Gaming Partners, LLC contract was selected as the best possible contract for the south central gaming zone. Peninsula Gaming opened the Kansas Star Casino to the public on December 26, 2011 in an interim facility and opened its permanent facility one year later. The interim facility was later converted to an arena.
No applications were received for the southeast gaming zone after 2008. In order to improve the possibility of opening a casino in this zone, the legislature passed HB2272 on April 2, 2014, and it became law on July 1, 2014. HB2272 lowered the minimum infrastructure investment requirement for the zone from $225 million to $50 million and the privilege fee requirement from $25 million to $5.5 million. In response, the Lottery again opened the southeast zone for bids and received four applications. One applicant dropped out early in the process.
Two of the three remaining applicants submitted proposals for gaming enterprises in Crawford County and one applicant submitted a proposal for a gaming enterprise in Cherokee County. The Crawford County applicants were Kansas Crossing Casino, L.C. with a proposed site in Pittsburg, and Frontenac Development, LLC with a proposed remodel of the former Camptown Greyhound Park in Frontenac. The Cherokee County applicant was Castle Rock Casino Resort LLC with a proposed site less than one mile from both the Missouri and Oklahoma borders.
The new Lottery Gaming Facility Review Board met for the first time on January 7, 2015. On June 23, 2015, after five months gathering input from the applicants, consultants and the public, the Review Board selected Kansas Crossing Casino, L.C.’s proposal as the best possible contract for the southeast gaming zone. The Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission investigated the background of Kansas Crossing and its directors, officers and other key employees, and on July 2, 2015, approved Kansas Crossing’s background and voted to approve the Review Board’s selection.
On July 13, 2015, The Board of County Commissioners of Cherokee County filed an application for a temporary restraining order, a motion for temporary injuction to prevent Kansas Crossing from commencing construction of its gaming facility in Crawford County, and a petition for judicial review of the KRGC’s July 2nd decisions. The application and motion were denied and the petition for judicial review was decided in favor of the State. The Kansas Supreme Court affirmed the decision in favor of the State.
On May 5, 2016, Kansas Crossing Casino began construction in Pittsburg, Kansas. Kansas Crossing Casino opened to the public on March 31, 2017.
In addition to its regulatory responsibilities in both pari-mutuel racing and casino gaming, since the passage of KELA in 2007 the KRGC has been the coordinating agency for all illegal gambling complaints and issues in the state of Kansas.
The KRGC is a law enforcement agency with law enforcement officers on staff. The agency works with state and local law enforcement officers, along with state and local prosecutors to maximize the limited resources of all agencies and offices often by taking the lead on many illegal gambling investigations.
The KRGC seeks to maximize resources by educating the public, and achieving voluntary compliance when possible. In addition, the KRGC targets supplier level individuals to prevent the proliferation of illegal gambling devices in the state of Kansas by eliminating the supply and distribution of those devices.
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The State Gaming Agency was established by executive order in August of 1995 to fulfill the State of Kansas' obligations under the tribal-state gaming compacts. These compacts were approved by the 1995 Kansas Legislature. The Tribal Gaming Oversight Act adopted by the 1996 Kansas Legislature officially established the State Gaming Agency and attaches the agency to the Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission for limited budget and personnel purposes. The mission of the State Gaming Agency is to uphold the integrity of Indian gaming operations in Kansas through the tribal-state compacts and the Tribal Gaming Oversight Act.
The Tribal Gaming Oversight Act establishes an executive director as head of the agency. The executive director is appointed by the Governor, subject to confirmation by the Kansas Senate. At the present time the State Gaming Agency consists of twenty-one (21) full-time employee positions. The State Gaming Agency is funded through an assessment procedure set forth in the Tribal-State Compacts. Each of the Tribes operating a gaming facility in the State of Kansas is required to pay the reasonable and necessary costs of regulating done by the Kansas State Gaming Agency.
The Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission is the state agency empowered by the Kansas Expanded Lottery Act and the Kansas Pari-mutuel Racing Act to regulate state owned casinos and pari-mutuel racetracks in Kansas. The commission is comprised of 5 member appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate for staggered four-year terms. For more information about the Commissioners, click here. Commission meetings are held monthly to conduct business related to gaming in Kansas. These meetings are open to the public; meeting notices, agendas and minutes are posted on the agency's website. The day to day operations of the agency are administered by an executive director who is also appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate. Currently, the staff of the agency perform a number of regulatory duties primarily associated with state-owned casinos, including: audit and electronic security, licensing and security, and responsible gambling compliance. In addition, the KRGC serves as the coordinating agency for illegal gambling complaints in Kansas, and seeks to educate citizens regarding the gambling laws of Kansas.
| Date | Location (City) | Major Topics | Agenda |
|---|---|---|---|
| 08-05-2008 | Teleconference | Regarding the Southeast Zone and South Central Zone | Agenda |
| 08-13-2018 | Kansas City | Regarding the Northeast Zone and South Central Zone | Agenda |
| 08-21-2008 | Topeka | Final action on the Southeast and Southcentral Zone | Agenda |
| 09-02-2008 | Topeka | Regarding the Southwest Zone and Northeast Zone | Agenda |
