The Kansas City Star from Kansas City, Missouri • 4

THOrSDAY APRIL 22009 WWWKANSySCITYCOM 4 US Russia call for CASINO: WORLDWATCH More on Obama at the G-2Q summit I AS and beverage outlets ing what Benin Nationalbills as its Hollywood Epic Buffet and steak bouse These features would be included lo $320 million first phase: Plans also call for adding 110000 square feet as die mar het demands Hie company estimates tip ettino would gener-ate $330 million and attract more rfran 4 million visitors a year If selected die company would purchase 61 acres east of Interstate 435 between State Avenue and Parallel Parkway That would make it neighbors with Schlitterbahn Vacation Village the water park resort now under construction Eric Schippera Pent) National's vice president of public affairs said Perm National would make sure its development would protect the integrity of the family-oriented entertainment offered by Schlitterbahn He also said the project should serve as a catalyst for more growth in western Kansas City Kan where the tourism industry has largely depended on the speedway and The Legends shopping center west of 1-435 Tb reach Mark WtabwcaN 816-234-7745 or sand a-maR to mwiabafccstarcom Lunsford said With IfiOO slot machines 65 table games and several (fining and entertainment options die Golden Heartland proposal is similar to its previous one But it too would be phased in The company is pledging a $360 million investment with the rest to follow A Tbm Wht-son-designed pdf course is in die plans but not in die first phase "Despite die economic downturn nationwide we are impressed with the fundamentals in the surrounding gaming markets and believe our site still offers the greatest potential to build a flagship said Christopher Abraham vice president of marketing Penn National is Intimately familiar with that market It owns the Argosy Casino Hotel Spa in Riverside If selected it would be competing with itself and three other casinos Company officials insist that both of its casinos could thrive and say that of the 15 markets they serve two have competing facilities proposal calls for a 357400-square-fbot facility with a 7270Qhsquare-fbot gaming flora a 250-room hotel ana meeting space The facility would also have three "food FROMM Gaming of Las Vegas tie company came close to securing foe approval last year About 30 minutes before the 5 deadline it submitted a million proposal for a casino at 110th Street and Interstate 70 in Edwardsville Kansas Entertainment LLC The partnership between Kansas Speedway and fix Baltimore-based Cordish Co announced plans Mondqy to build a $700 million Hand Rock Hotel Casino overlooking lirn 2 at die speedway Kansas Entertainment was poised to break ground on a similar project last year after the state accepted its application But it was forced to withdraw that proposal because of the economic downturn Its new proposal calls for a first-phase development of $390 million That development would in-chxte 10(X000 square feet of gambling asgwell as a bar and dining and entertainment op-tfons Speedway officials also said they would try to land a second NASCAR Sprint Cup race The applicants join three others that submitted proposals to manage a casino in Sumner County in south-central Kan- THE PROCESS Three casino developers met Wednesday's deadline to submit proposals to manage a state-owned casino in Wyandotte County Each must receive an endorsement from the jurisdictions in Which their projects are located and must negotiate a contract with the Kansas Lottery Commission by June 3Q The lottery will then decide which of the proposaito advance to the Kansas Lottery Gaming Facility Review Board The review board has until the end of August to select a proposal When a proposal is selected the Racing and Gaming Commission will perform a background check sas: Chisolm Creek Casino Resent Prairie Sky Casino and Lakes Casino Resort But it will be awhile before any of the casinos become reality looking it late fell early winter before any shovels full of dirt actually get new STEVEN THOMMA McCtatchy Nawspapan LONDON President Barack Obama will travel to Moscow in July part of what he and his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev are ouling a in strained relations between the nuclear powers the last several years the relationship between our two countries has been allowed to Obama said after meeting with Medvedev for the first time what I believe begun today is a very constructive dialogue that will allow us to work on issues of mutual interest" He joked that he'd agreed to visit Moscow in July we both agreed was a better time than January to Medvedev laughed and suggested the warmer weather would better reflect the tone of their meeting The decision to meet again in Moscow signaled a new step in the often-complicated relationship between the countries During their session at the US residence the two leaders agreed to negotiate a new treaty reducing their nuclear arsenals to try to persuade Iran not to develop its own nuclear weapons and to cooperate on other issues such as the threat from al-Qaida They discussed but didn't agree on several other issues notably the Russian invasion of Georgia Russian construction of a nuclear facility in Iran and the US pledge to deploy a missile defense system in Eastern Europe hope is that given the constructive conversations that we've had today the joint statements that we will be issuing both on reductions of nuclear arsenals as well as a range of other areas of interest that DEVICE: of COUNCIL: As vote approaches today issue just cool down getting way people who cant get prime credit" he said less a sense of intrusion of Big Brother for people in their 30s or under They know got to share to play especially if their credit is weak Cell-phone technology and the Internet have changed their behavioral patterns" At Blue Springs Auto Credit most the initial reaction is out of negative: Oh my gosh what is said general manager Roger CampbelL "But it becomes a simple reminder to make their payments People want to make those payments on time They just He credited the disablers for helping to get a swelling population of credit risks behind the wheel in difficult times: "For 90 percent of the can I sell I wouldn't without Consumer protection laws haven't yet caught up with the technology said Rosemary Shahan of Consumers for Auto Reliability and Safety a nonprofit advocacy group "This has the potential of getting way out of raising liability questions in the event a stranded motorist is -harmed or loses work hours to the disabler she said "What if someone misplaced my monthly payment or dealers don't live up to their end of the bargain and shut you Shahan asked "If you cant otherwise get a car they already have you at a Michelle Gibbs 36 is still paying student debts she began incurring about 20 years aga The house they own needs new siding Her husband a mechanic has a job as safe as but her home daycare business feces an icy patch ahead The couple have a plan: Hold on to their car until the loan is paid oft buy new and maybe sell the Accord with disabler intact to their daughter now 13 Shell not just learn to drive her mother said be learning responsibility for making car Tb reach Rick Montgomery call 816-234-4410 or sand e-mail to rmontgometycfkcstarcom what we're seeing today is the beginning of new progress in -the US-Russian Obama said can only agree that the relations between our countries have been adrift over the past Medvedev said President Obama has said they were drifting and drifting in some wrong directions They were degrading to some extent" In a statement the two pledged to restore the relationship the leaders of Russia and the United States are ready to move beyond Cold War mentalities and fchart a fresh start in relations between our two they said Their most concrete agreement was to start negotiating a new treaty to reduce their arsenals of nuclear weapons It would replace the 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty which expires in December A new agreement could further cut the arsenals which now are limited to 1700 to 2700 warheads each A key goal will be making sure the pact maintains START inspection and monitoring system The new treaty could include an agreement on a mutual defense against missiles which could open the door to the United States dropping a pledged missile-defense system in Eastern Europe Hie United States maintains it's intended to defend Europe against a missile from Iran but Russia has seen it as hostile White House aides said the two men got along well despite continuing disagreements on some issues Another letter from businesses within the Power Light District said they were concerned that the city restrictions could adversely affect the millions of dollars they have invested in downtown enforcement agencies have determined that certain attire can be directly attributed to gangs and cultures of violence" the letter said The Planning' and Zoning Committee voted 5-0 last week to endorse the dress code legislation But at least two of those five council members Ed Ford and Cindy Circo expressed reservations about the measure Wednesday and said they were hoping there might be further revisions prior to today's council vote am open to trying to reach a further Ford said rather keep the dialogue open than force an ordinance I know we're going to get sued Ford's office had received about 250 e-mails on the issue with most opposing the council measure but some people continuing to complain about the treatment they received at Power Ligjit over their appearance Councilman Bill Skaggs who is not on the committee also worried about future liability got to be careful with what we do" Skaggs said afraid what we're doing is giing to take us into another Sharp said the city shouldn't be deterred from doing the right thing and passing the ordinance He said he hoped the full council would approve the legislation as it was approved' in committee think we can defend this in court and probably will have to do so" he said To reach Lynn Horslay call 816-234-4317 or send e-mail to ttiorslcy a kcstarJCom FROM A1 Robert let slip the dreaded has forced them to keep up think it would be nice to do it for other she said Small used-car lots that finance their own sales are driving the practice for now but it could bedome commonplace say consumer groups Increasingly satellites and programmable timers are capable of shutting down a home's utili-' ties computer software appliances and leased machinery if overdue bills aren't paid "Electronic it's called "Since you're seeing it done more regularly with cars we may already be deep into the slippery slope" said John Van Alst a lawyer with the National Consumer Law Center "A lot of people couldn't get by without their cars" With brand names On Time PassTime and Pay Tec car disables are wired to the ignition and typically provide motorists three or four days' warning' with flashing lights (green to amber to red) and quickening chirps as drop-dead payment dates near They will not shut down a moving car manufacturers note but will render starters silent the morning after the warning light turns red For devices that include global-positioning locators the repo man can home in on where the vehicle sits stalled The disabler on Shirley Ford Expedition enabled her to establish a credit history said Baucum a grocery cashier in North Kansas City: love it I wish it were on everything the refrigerator the stove to help people when payments are due Her payments to the Drive Now lot are due every two DAVID EULITT I THE KANSAS CITY STAR The disabler has lad Robert and Michelle Gibbs to keap their payments current actually fans of the device weeks and Baucom said she hasn't missed one in the four months she's had the vehicle The slow economy has spurred installations with the buyers' approval to get used cars moving off lots said Don Lavoie chief executive officer of Sckurus Inc It makes On Time disablers for 1700 deal-' era nationwide "Of 40 millioif used cars sold in a year 20 million will go to FROM A1 work cpllaboratively with the city have not been willing to negotiate in good faith with civil rights groups or people concerned about the discriminatory aspects of their dress said Councilman John Sharp one of the ordinance sponsors Hie proposed ordinance applies to businesses serving the public in all taxpayer-subsidized developments but it was prompted by complaints over the past year that the Power Light District's dress code discriminates against racial minorities especially young African-American males and is inconsistently enforced Some residents have said they were treated so rudely because of their attire that they will never visit the district again The ordinance would bar businesses from arbitrarily defining the length or style of headgear or jewelry hair clothes or type of shoes patrons wear Such action could be construed as being targeted at a particular race Establishments could however still prohibit sagging pants or excessively baggy clothes and could require the wearing of specific clothing items such as collared shirts jackets and ties business suits or formal footwear as long the requirements are enforced in a nondiscriminatory manner Coldish spokesman Jon Stephens contends the legislation would be in the nation and that no other city has tried to ban a dress code in such a way Cordish sent igformation to council members showing that dress codes are common in entertainment venues article of clothing simply cannot be considered Stephens said in a statement BRITNEY: Her song could be 1 Will none of this would have happened I think awesome that made a comeback and is bigger because of it" After a disastrous critically bashed performance on the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards few people figured Spears could recover person-' ally let alone make another record and launch a successful arena tour But she survived that debacle and all that preceded it and emerged an even bigger celebrity bet some people are going to the concert just because it's her not so much for the music or tiie Sofombrino said wait to see the show and the dancing but I'm excited to see bet too I might even have trouble sleeping Wednesday night" 1b read more horn pop music writer Timothy Firm go to our music blog Back to Rockville onKansasCJtyxom FROM A1 learning choreography I really started to like her videos She had the best choreography And She picks really good songwriters Some of the songs on that album are phenomenaL is she an No She's an entertainer who has become a huge Ron Meffx an actor and the creative mind behind the former Late Night Theater won't make it to the concert he has play rehearsal tonight But he will participate in the tribute at Mint will be spoofing her" he said head is shaved so 111 be Britney in her Megee will co-host the event He abo will perform the song More" off the album Some of Spears' popularity he said (las to do with her status asa full-fledged modern diva -i -A jf a8Fn.