[Mike B.]

On June 24th, 2006 Judge Ronald Innes ordered the Dodge City Commission to build the controversial Special Event Center and to make the construction and operation of the facility a top priority.

Just before that court order was issued Kent Smoll, Rick Sowers and Jim Lembright ran for city commission and all three promised the people of Dodge City that they would indeed build the S.E.C. Quoting Kent Smoll, now mayor of Dodge, addressing the Fraternal Order of Police, “…if our current commission had any balls the S.E.C. would have already been built and we would not be dealing with this issue now!” (Wed. Feb. 8th, 2006)

We have four commissioners who have publically endorsed the building of the S.E.C. What’s the hold up now? You commissioners have the votes, the money, you’ve had the time and plenty of opportunities and to top it all off you have a court order. What more do you need? Is Commissioner Lees’ one vote, in opposition, stopping the entire process? Is Lee that powerful and influential?

Are the campaign promises made by these commissioners empty words? Judge Innes specifically ordered the S.E.C. to be a top priority. It appears to me this commission has their own priorities, to raise property taxes and fees to its citizens who use city owned, tax funded facilities.

In all fairness to these four commissioners they have indeed moved the process forward but have yet to accomplish the instructions of the court.

If this commission is waiting on the casino, they may be waiting a long, long time. There are many hurdles to jump before state owned casinos are allowed to operate, if they are allowed to operate at all. The Kansas Supreme Court is waiting for a ruling from a lower court concerning the constitutionality of State owned casinos. And many legal experts even conclude that our State Constitution must be changed in order to allow Kansas to own casinos. What views will our next governor hold? Appeal after appeal, a lawyers dream come true!

As the years pass by, the price tag to build this promised Special Event Center will continue to grow and we the taxpayers are the ones stuck with the increased expenses! Perhaps it’s time the city commissioners had a reality check and rethink their position regarding the S.E.C.