Las Vegas-based Boyd Gaming is looking to expand its presence in the Midwest.
The company said last week it applied to the Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission (KRGC) to develop and operate a new historical horse racing (HHR) gaming facility in Sedgwick County, the state’s second-most populous region.
Boyd said it would privately finance the construction of the $160 million location in Park City that would include 1,000 historical horse racing games and other non-gaming amenities. Park City is north of Wichita, the state’s largest city.
Historical horse racing games look and operate much like traditional slot machines. Instead of randomizing the outcome, the machines determine winners based on previously run horse races. All wagering is done in a pari-mutuel fashion, allowing users to auto-bet or manually handicap the races.
State lawmakers last year approved the addition of one historical horse racing casino in the county and a competitive bidding process was put into place. In addition to Boyd Gaming, billionaire Phil Ruffin, a native of Wichita and owner of Treasure Island and Circus Circus on the Strip, has submitted a bid for the project.
Boyd has 28 casinos in 10 states, including the Kansas Star Casino, located just south of Wichita in Sumner County. The casino has 1,600 traditional slot machines, more than 50 table games and four restaurants.
In a statement, Boyd said its proposed Kansas HHR facility would be named Diamond Jo Park City. The company operates two Diamond Jo branded casinos in Iowa – Diamond Jo Dubuque and Diamond Jo Worth.
Boyd CEO Keith Smith said the proposal would take the company’s relationship with the state “to the next level,” creating an entertainment destination that will draw customers from Wichita.
“We are confident that our compelling proposal, backed by our company’s experience, national scale and strong financial position, makes Boyd uniquely suited to realize the maximum possible benefits of the new HHR license for the people of Sedgwick County,” Smith said.
Boyd also operates two casino resorts in neighboring Missouri — Ameristar Casino Kansas City, and Ameristar Casino St. Charles, which is near St. Louis.
