CFAB Meeting, Thursday, Sept. 20, City Hall, 7 pm

Update, post meeting:

Boot Hill Gaming was not there [seems the Dodge City Globe reporter didn't hear Thorpe], but rather Jeff Thorpe, for Butler National Gaming -- not sure if he works for them or just has financial interest -- it wasn't made clear how he is Butler spokesman ? Butler wants to build casino maybe sometime next to events center -- that buys land from Butler [there's some capital] -- and then city pays for utilities up to 50 feet from casino -- that will save Butler millions. Also Butler doesn't want horses around so events center won't have horses. Butler should donate land for events center in return for all that savings, but that wasn't brought up.

Boot Hill Museum indicated that they will need $150,000 or so for next year, as they did this year. No action taken. They only have "100-ish" members, and did not talk about membership drives or fund raising, etc., normal for museums that need money.

Butler wants city/county commissions to back them before any other applicants make presentations, cut them off at the pass as it were.

Butler states they will have only 100 hotel rooms (much less than experts recommend), and a number of restaurants, one a buffet, one a (oh-boy) "upscale steak house." And retails stores. Bye-bye downtown Dodge. Bye-bye local restaurants. But then the Supreme Court of Kansas refuses to review that casino case yesterday -- adds months and months to anyone building anything to do with casinos.

CFAB member Ann Torrey even asked -- "what happens if we build the Events center next to a casino that doesn't get built?" Yep, that's a thought, Ann -- and an Events center that now will not have room for horses. So we'll need another events center after the first one and in addition to the civic center -- And that's a lot of money, folks.

Of concern is that Butler has a small profit for the 3-months ending Jan. 31, 2007 http://www.secinfo.com/dFf8.uc.htm --
$190,412 -- how they will be able to build $50 million casino is confusing.

And, yes, it is casino bud joe's land that is to be annexed by city, even before they know which applicant will build casino.


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Of interest, given that this is CFAB (sans Greg Starks ?), that Boot Hill and Boot Hill Gaming are both making presentations. Citizens may want to come hear about their $30 million events center in this mix.

Community Facilities Advisory Board Agenda
September 20, 2007
City Hall Commission Chambers


NEW BUSINESS

Financial Report-Nannette Pogue, City Clerk

Status of Boot Hill Museum - Lara Brehm

Tourism Master Plan update - Heberling Assoc. Inc. - Ken Strobel, City Manager/City Attorney

Negotiation with Mike Burkhart update - Dodge Theater and adjacent buildings

Boot Hill Gaming - Jeff Thorpe

Community Facilities Advisory Board (CFAB) Membership

The Community Facilities Advisory Board was created to develop, plan, coordinate, initiate, oversee and provide advice and recommendations concerning the location, acquisition, construction, completion and operations of the ‘Why Not Dodge’ Projects. The Committee consists of one County Commissioner, one City Commissioner, four at-large members, and the Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Dodge City/Ford County Development Corporation or his/her designee



Dodge City, KS - Official Website - CFAB

Greg Starks resigns CFAB -- or, not ?

Greg Starks, rather late, resigns from the CFAB Committee -- or not -- says in the Dodge City Daily Globe "Starks steps down as CFAB head" that he is taking a "temporary leave of absence from the board ?"

I don't remember the "temporary not on the committee" part of the city rules ? Seems you are either on a committee or not. Either the committee has the number of voting members required or not, and the agreement between the city and the county on the Why Not Dodge projects certainly has the number of required members on CFAB in it.

Any one know about rules on this ?

Given the previous major impact of Mr. Starks and Boot Hill Gaming on the possible location of the Events Center (and our $30 million dollars in tax money)-- especially without full disclosure on his legal involvement on the Boot Hill Gaming board -- having a full committee should be the rule. Not just "don't look behind the curtain" style of committee membership.

Let your commission members know that a full CFAB is critical as we start to actually make decisions on how to spend a very large amount of tax money.

Jim Sherer
e-mail address: jim.sherer@yahoo.com
E. Kent Smoll
email address: ksmoll70@hotmail.com
Jim Lembright
email address: jlembright@cox.net
Rick Sowers
email address: rsowers@starrtech.net
Terry Lee
e-mail address: commissionerterrylee@yahoo.com

Boot Hill Gaming controls CFAB -- "agreement in concept" ?

"Boot Hill Gaming currently has an agreement in concept for the option for purchase of lands for a hotel and casino. The 390-acre tract of land is located at the west end of the U.S. 50 bypass.

The Community Facilities Advisory Board has already agreed that an ideal location for the special events center would be next to the casino. The board hopes to work with the casino's management company in the future to make that possible, according to CFAB Chairman Greg Starks."
Dodge City Globe Article

And Boot Hill Gaming Board member Starks -- by the way. Seems that Starks forgets that They is We and We is We We. And that ideal location certainly means that historic Dodge City will not be near the citizens events center.

Kansas: Definition of a substantial interest RE: Conflict of interest questions

February 21, 2002
Opinion No. 2002-01

K.S.A. 75-4301a provides the definition of a substantial interest. It states in pertinent part:

“(a) 'Substantial interest' means any of the following:

. . .

“(4) If an individual or an individual's spouse holds the position of officer, director, associate, partner or proprietor of any business, other than an organization exempt from federal taxation of corporations under section 501(c)(3), (4), (6), (7), (8), (10) or (19) of chapter 26 of the United States code, the individual has a substantial interest in that business, irrespective of the amount of compensation received by the individual or individual's spouse.”

[Blogger Note: Seems that Mr. Starks, by being a director of Boot Hill Gaming Inc., does hold a "substantial interest" -- whether the decisions involving $30 million dollars of tax money is affected by his interest in the private casino group that is wanting a certain placement of the Events Center to benefit the casino is THE question .......]

Let's keep an eye on Global's promises --

[With all the promises over the years -- let's start keeping an eye on the ball, as it were -- Bold added to important facts stated by Global ... ]

Global Entertainment Corporation Announces New Event Center Development Project for Dodge City, Kansas

May 30, 2007 - Global Entertainment Corporation (AMEX: GEE), announced that on May 10, 2007, an agreement was signed for the development of a multi-purpose events center to be located in Dodge City, Kansas. The development project was approved by the Dodge City and Ford County Commissions. International Coliseums Company (ICC), a Global subsidiary that has completed multiple projects of this nature, will lead the design phase and have oversight responsibility for the construction phase that is expected to begin in December 2007.

Dodge City, situated in the center of America’s Heartland, has a population of approximately 34,000 and boasts with pride its Western heritage. Dodge City and the surrounding area have experienced growth unequaled by any other Eastern [sic Western] Kansas city, which makes the feasibility and long-term success of this project achievable. The area is well known for historical and rodeo events which the new center will easily accommodate with additional events to include concerts, trade shows, family shows, agricultural events and other civic functions. The closest major city is Wichita, roughly 150 miles east of Dodge City.

The new $33.7 million multi-purpose events center is well suited to enhance nearby attractions and allow room for future development. The center will have approximately 4,300 seats, with designated VIP seating and luxury suites as well.

Steven J. Bielewicz, president of Global Properties, said, "It has been a pleasure presenting our plans to the city and county commissions for a multi-purpose events center that will serve Dodge City and the surrounding communities, and provide a new option for a wide range of entertainment and civic events. ICC will now move forward to refine our design to meet the specific requirements of Dodge City. Our Encore division will be engaged in a multi-year agreement to manage the center, which will include staffing and catering. Under Encore, our licensing and advertising division, GEMS, will handle sales and marketing services. Our GetTix subsidiary will provide exclusive ticketing services for all events held at the events center."
Global Entertainment link

Casino location ? City buys 285 acres

Dodge City Globe, July 4, 2007
"285 acres purchased by city west of 14th and north of the by-pass" ? Is this correct? Just was clearing out older papers -- darn, didn't read the paper that day.

Any thoughts ? Article link added: Water rights and ground

One answer to the conflict of interest of Mr. Starks

"Those with a conflict of interest are expected to recuse themselves from (i.e., abstain from) decisions where such a conflict exists. The imperative for recusal varies depending upon the circumstance and profession, either as common sense ethics, codified ethics, or by statute. For example, if the governing board of a government agency is considering hiring a consulting firm for some task, and one firm being considered has, as a partner, a close relative of one of the board's members, then that board member should not vote on which firm is to be selected. In fact, to minimize any conflict, the board member should not participate in any way in the decision, including discussions."

IE: Mr. Starks should not vote on any decisions affecting the location of the Events Center, which, by his own statement, will affect the location of the casino, which he is an active private board member of one applicant, and intends to benefit financially. Actually, he should be removed by the City Commission/County Commission from the CFAB board, but hey, neither the of the other board members quit their public positions -- they quit their Boot Hill Gaming Inc. Board positions -- at least they read the cards right about That conflict ... 1) wonder if they'll be back on BHG Inc Board; 2) Boot Hill Museum Inc. owns Boot Hill Gaming Inc. (FC Chair on board of Boot Hill) 3) Mayor still has large clients on board of Boot Hill Gaming Inc.

Gee, what a confused mess this is -- let's just hope that the interest of the public is actually being considered by all involved. Not clear to me what the law is on this type of mess, but with millions of dollars involved -- both tax dollars and future private gain -- it is not a small mess. (Would the State of Kansas be smart in not selecting Boot Hill Gaming Inc. due to the potential court issues that other applicants could bring?) I will say that Mr. Thorpe has remained clearer in his goals -- private involvement with public influence but not voting nor on public committees. He wouldn't fall under this question, I would think.