Kansas Star Casino


The Kansas Star Casino is a casino and hotel in western Mulvane, Kansas, United States, owned and managed by Boyd Gaming. It is located on the west side of the I-35.

History

In 2007, the state enacted the Kansas Expanded Lottery Act, which included authorization for four casinos to be built and managed by private developers, under contract with the Kansas Lottery. One of the casinos was allocated to the Wichita area.
The law required a local referendum in each county before a casino could be approved. This requirement was waived for Sumner County because it had passed an advisory measure in favor of casino gaming in 2005. The referendum failed in Sedgwick County, leaving Sumner County as the area's only possible casino site.
Casino proposals in Sumner County were divided between Wellington, the largest town in the county, and Mulvane, which was 14 miles closer to the area's main population center, Wichita. The first round of proposals in 2008 resulted in the selection of Harrah's Entertainment over two other bidders, but Harrah's then withdrew because of factors stemming from the financial crisis of 2007–2008. A new selection process opened in 2009 and drew three applicants, but all eventually withdrew their proposals.
A third bidding process opened in April 2010, again drawing three bidders. Harrah's and Peninsula Gaming each proposed a casino to be built in Mulvane, and Global Gaming proposed a casino in Wellington. Harrah's again withdrew its application, and Peninsula Gaming was then selected as the winner over Global Gaming in December 2010.
The casino opened in a temporary facility on December 26, 2011. The permanent casino facility opened in December 2012. The property's hotel, a Hampton Inn, opened with 150 rooms in October 2012, and expanded to 300 rooms in August 2014. The temporary casino building was converted to its permanent use as a 3,400-seat arena, with an inaugural concert by Daughtry in June 2013.

Facilities

The casino has several eateries and bars, including a buffet, a steakhouse, and an Asian restaurant.
The Kansas Star Arena is a multipurpose entertainment venue that has hosted concerts by notable performing artists, as well as the Miss Kansas USA pageant, mixed martial arts events by Bellator MMA, and equestrian events including Championship Bull Riding and the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. The Event Center Ballroom is a smaller theater that presents more intimate shows.