by Tracy McCue, Sumner Newscow — When former Wichita mayor Bob Knight came to Wellington in the mid-2000s to propose building a new casino, it started a soap opera much more intriguing than “Days of our Lives.”

But by 2012 that soap opera was over and the Kansas Star Casino was in operation. On Dec. 20, the casino celebrated its first-year anniversary.

So how is it going? From a revenue standpoint, things appear to be going quite well. Kansas Star has generated $173 million thus far. It has significantly outdistanced the two other state run casinos

The Boot Hill Casino in Dodge City opened in December of 2009 and has generated $122.8 million. The Hollywood Casino in Kansas City opened in Feb. 3, 2012 and has generated $103 million. Although it has opened later than the Kansas Star, it isn’t generating the same kind of revenue. In fiscal year 2013 which starts on July 1, Kansas Star has generated $74.5 million to Hollywood’s $48.4 million. 

That has meant a nice payday for the three local governments which earn revenue from the Kansas Star casino. Sumner County, Sedgwick County and the city of Mulvane get 1 percent of every dollar generated there. Since Nov. 30, the latest figures available, $5.2 million have been placed in the three local government coffers. Split that three ways, and Sumner County has received an additional $1.73 million thus far.

That has opened all kinds of budgetary possibilities for the Sumner County Commissioners. However, the commissioners decided to reward the county property tax owners and reduced the county mill levy by around 30 percent in 2012. All told when combining other taxing entities such as the city, school, recreation, cemeteries, etc., property taxpayers were saving around 8 to 9 percent in taxes from the year before.

According to a Kansas Star press release, the construction of the casino brought in $121 million in construction contracts. On an educational standpoint, the Kansas All-Star Scholars Fund distributed nearly $1.5 million to students, teachers and families in Sumner County in 2012. Each K-12 student received $100 for back-to-school shopping and teachers received $500 to offset the costs associated with their classrooms. Graduating seniors were given $1,000 if they chose to continue their education.

Kansas Star continues to expand. It opened its permanent facility in December and a hotel was built nearby. By July 2013 a multi-purpose arena will be built and a 24-acre equestrian center will be ready for the 2015 equestrian season.

But for all this good will, there are the ramifications. Of course, it is hard to gauge the casino’s impact on local citizens. Some would argue, locals no longer have money to spend on other things such as eating out, fixing a car or for other mandatory expenses.

Earlier this month, a group of citizens from the Peck area asked the county for more law enforcement due to the increased crime.

With the advent of more shops, restaurants and entertainment options at the casino, how will that affect the locally owned businesses trying to generate the same kind of revenue?

It most certainly is a two-edged sword. But no matter how you look at it, the Kansas Star Casino is changing the landscape of the local economy.

That is why we have made Kansas Star Casino our No. 1 story of the year.