Chisholm Creek Casino Resort reacted to being denied a 60-day extension for the state to decide on its bid to build a state-owned $225 million casino resort in Sumner County by abruptly pulling out of the process.

The lead developer, Lakes Entertainment, sent a brief note to the state announcing it was pulling out and asking for its $25 million privilege fee to be returned.

Kansas Governor Mark Parkinson rejected the request for a fourth delay in voting by the seven-member Kansas Lottery Gaming Facility Review Board that is tasked with making that decision. The developer had asked for the extension from the board, which passed it on to the governor, who rejected it with this statement: "I believe it is not in the best interest of Kansas, or the project stakeholders, to put this decision off any longer."

Without the governor's permission, the board was required to make a decision by April 19.

Also complicating the process is the fact that Chisholm Creek was the only applicant for Summer County and the south-central gaming zone. So now, apparently, the whole process will go back to square one.

By GGB Staff

Staff writers for Global Gaming Business magazine. Las Vegas, Nevada.