Billionaire intends to revive the Woodlands racetrack in KCK

Phil Ruffin, the billionaire, Wichita-born businessman — he now lives in Las Vegas — has purchased the Woodlands for an undisclosed amount from Howard Grace, The Wichita Eagle reports. 

The greyhound- and horse-racing track in Kansas City, Kansas, opened in 1989, filed for bankruptcy in 1996 (but stayed operational), and officially closed in 2008. Efforts have been under way of late to revive it. 

Ruffin, who owns the Treasure Island casino in Las Vegas, also owns two other racing tracks in Kansas: Wichita Greyhound Park, in Park City, and Camptown Greyhound Park, in Frontenac. He told the Eagle that he hopes to reopen all three but needs the state Legislature to do some things for him, like change the tax rate at Camptown and pass a bill allowing slot machines at racetracks. Ruffin estimates that he could hire between 500 and 700 people at the Woodlands, and 2,000 with all three tracks combined. 

A nice account of the Woodlands’ colorful history can be found here.