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Wyandotte County Approves Gaming

By Maria Carter

Kansas City, MO – Wyandotte County voters overwhelmingly approved two gambling measures. KCUR's Maria Carter has more.

Voters approved both measures by a 4 to 1 margin. The first one gives the go ahead to opening a state-run destination casino in Wyandottecounty. The casino would likely compete with those across the stateline in Missouri and house hotels and restaurants. The state projects revenues of 230 million dollars. About a fifth of that would go into state coffers and 3 percent or some 7 million dollars would go to local governments. Voters also gave the thumbs up to slot machines at the Woodlands racetrack. Those could be installed as soon as next year and a destination casino could be completed by 2010. There was little opposition to the measures, but some critics did worry about increases in crime and bankruptcies.

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