Sunday, December 2, 2007

Do They Work Harder In Kansas?

Whether or not you're a casino fan or an opponent, it behoves all of us to educate ourselves on the economics of the Governor's proposal, as well as the revenue and job projections being touted by developers and their allies.

We recently received a pro-casino, union-sponsored glossy postcard (sent to me as a Democratic Delegate), hailing the 20,000 "new" jobs that would be created by the proposal endorsed by the Administration. Postive, sustainable Economic Development is sorely needed in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

It's been fiscally rocky in this great state and the nation since, well come to think of it, George W. Bush and Co. (Cheney, Rumsfeld, Halliburton, Enron and the other corporate puppets running the country into the dirt) began implementing the "conservative" agenda. Only thing is however, selling America for personal profit and to embellish the owning class is not a conservative value.

Their version of conservativism is a lie. I digress.

It's good blogging weather with gray skies, frigid temps, and darkness at 4:15pm today.
What's a girl to do?
So, I went to (of all places) the website of the Wichita Eagle http://www.kansas.com/news/local/story/226367.html and what to my wondering eyes should appear, an article about a casino war between residents and Casino giant MGM Mirage that hopes to build in Mulvane http://www.mulvanekansas.com/, Kansas, population, 5,500!

Casino giant MGM Mirage has joined an effort to build a casino resort complex near the Mulvane interchange on the Kansas Turnpike near Wichita.
The company has become partners with Foxwoods Development Co. of Connecticut, Chisholm Creek Ventures of Wichita and two American Indian tribes to bid for a resort on 176 acres south of Highway 53, just across the Sedgwick County line.
Developers said:
• The Chisholm Creek Casino Resort would include a 250-room hotel, a retail shopping arcade, a spa, golf course, and food, entertainment and meeting venues.
• The casino floor would feature 2,000 slot machines and 50 gaming tables.
• The complex would employ 1,425 to 1,475 people

Then, I thought,

How could it be that a casino proposal in Kansas similar in scope but with a smaller hotel than is allegedly proposed in Palmer could only employ 1,425 to 1,475 people?

That's a serious delta. What could explain the difference in the job projections? The Administration's Plan, the Barrow Plan, the Union Plan (which are all the Barrow Plan) call for 20,000 "new" jobs.

Do they work harder in Kansas?
or,

Are the projections inflated?

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

You've taken my breath away pointing out your vast mathematical skills! (tongue firmly in cheek!)
Pretty astounding what the figures can do when compared!
This entire endeavor is flawed from every angle except the possibility of enriching the casino investors.