Equity Ventures names Kansas casino partners

Equity Ventures has a partnership with two former top officials of Mandalay Resort Group for a state-owned casino in south-central Kansas.

Equity spokeswoman Nancy Seitz says the Topeka firm and its partners will file an application for the Sumner County casino with the Kansas Lottery before the 5 p.m. Wednesday deadline.

The partners are Mike Ensign, former CEO of Mandalay, and Peter Simon, a senior vice president. Ensign negotiated the sale of Mandalay to MGM Mirage in Las Vegas for USD 7.9 billion in 2005.

Equity had a partnership with Harrah’s Entertainment Inc. before it withdrew its application for Sumner County in November because of the failing economy.

On Monday, a partnership of Kansas Speedway and Baltimore-based Cordish Co. filed its application for Wyandotte County.