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Originally Posted by Unregistered  I would say it is the other way around -- that the Events center is not dependent on the casino. Let's remember, the events center has been approved, and funded.... |
The Special Event Center has been approved and funded, but it will fail if only people from Dodge City go to the events. There needs to be a reason for people outside the area to come to Dodge City for an event. The casino would be that reason! People from outside the area would come to Dodge and make an event of going to the casino, seeing a show at the SEC, maybe spending the night in a hotel. It would help draw people here by giving them a reason to come.
Think about it, I have been to many concerts in Wichita, which is about 150 miles from Dodge City. But, I don't just go for the concert, I make a day of it and go to the malls, Best Buy, Sam's Club, eat at someplace we don't have in Dodge. Places like Fazoli's, Chili's, Olive Garden, Red Lobster. Then I go to the concert in the evening. Dodge City has no other reason for people to come here to a concert or whatever. I wouldn't make a 150 mile trip to see a concert if there was nothing else to do. We don't have the shopping, or the restaurants to draw the crowds that would be needed to make the SEC a success.
I would say that a casino would stand a much better chance of being successful without the SEC than the SEC would have without a casino. With a casino come the people, with the people come more businesses. Businesses look at demographics and traffic flow before they make a decision to come into a new market. With the people that a casino would attract, I don't think it would be a far reach to see in the future other places like Chili's, Braum's, possibly even a Sam's Club taking a good look at Dodge City when looking for future expansion.
A "NO" vote tomorrow is a vote for the "Death of Dodge City." Things are starting to look a little better for Dodge with the World of Outlaws here this past weekend and the national coverage on ESPN2 yesterday. The mixed martial arts cage match that was in the Civic Center of Saturday. Don't put a knife in the back of the gains we are starting to see with a "NO" vote tomorrow.
Vote "YES" for more good things to come. More people, more jobs, more tourism, more businesses, more improvements to Dodge, a bigger tax base, etc, etc.