This Doesn’t Look Like Kansas, Toto...Kansas First to Have State-Owned Casinos

During the past two years, several people have asked me for my opinion of various proposals to expand gambling Texas. My answer has usually been: "well it is not the plan I would create if it were up to me, but I am for any plan that gives us the freedom to gamble in our own State."
Many have then asked: "what would you do if it were up to you?" My response has been to suggest a plan where the state owned the casinos so that a larger chunk of the profits went back to the state rather than just placing a tax on a privately-owned casino.
The ususal reply I get is: "Is that possible?"
Possible? Kansas is aiming to do just that.
Kansas will be the first state to open state-owned casinos. The State will own the equipment, land, and buildings of four casinos soon to be constructed and opened. They will contract out the management of day-to-day operations to private companies for "privilege fees" totalling 80.5 million. The casino employees will be employees of the contractor. Kansas will receive 22% of the annual revenue of each casino.
To put this in perspective, Mississippi casinos generated 2.6 billion in revenues in 2006. 22% would amount to $576 million annual revenues. That could reduce alot of property taxes and fund alot of educations.
Kansas has finally woken up to the fact that its people are going to play somewhere. It can either be in their own state, or the one next door. When will Texas finally wake up?