Kansas Speedway boss excited about track's future (cont'd)

Q: So what do you figure the odds are for you guys getting all this done?

Boerger: I like our odds. Because we're the only [casino applicant] and because of all the upside that our project brings to the state of Kansas, I'm very optimistic and confident that we'll get this done. But again, we have to go through the process and we've got to get everything out in front of the review board to make sure they're comfortable with what we're proposing. We're excited about the Hollywood [casino] brand; we're excited about the scope of the project. ... We just think we can enhance the entire region as far as tourism.

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Currently we draw about 10 million folks on an annual basis. That's including Kansas Speedway, and all the development that has occurred around the race track. We are the model in the country now as far as how you develop around a sporting facility. We've heard from folks all over the country who would like to match what we've been able to do in terms of development here in Kansas. It's truly been a public-private partnership with the state. It just continues to grow and get better each and every year.

Q: With all that going on, what do you like to do to unwind away from the track?

Boerger: My first love is my family. I love hanging out with my wife [Beth] and kids [son, Jake, and daughter, Kate]. I'm a guy who loves coaching his son's basketball team. I've got 9-year-old twins who are very active, and we do a lot of stuff.

My other passions are hunting and fishing here in Kansas. Before the race track came to the state of Kansas, the highest tourism attraction was pheasant hunting. Obviously we blew that away. But there are a lot of pheasant out here in north central Kansas. I do a lot of pheasant hunting, quail hunting, all kinds of bird hunting. Turkey hunting, but I've also gotten into deer hunting, as well.

Probably my favorite passion, though, is going all over the state of Kansas to go bass fishing, as well as walleye fishing. It's a lot of fun and the funny thing is that's how I really got started with this company.

Q: How was that?

Boerger: I worked for an organization called the Kansas City Area Development Council, the regional economic development group. When ISC started this process to try to expand into the Midwest, I was fortunate enough to work on the project through that organization -- and that's where I met Grant Lynch, who is a big outdoorsman [as well as vice president of ISC Strategic Projects].

At one of our meetings, we had talked about going pheasant hunting. And one thing led to another after that and he eventually asked me if I'd like to go work with them at ISC, and I said yes. The outdoors is really what brought Grant and I together, and in turn brought me into ISC. So I was fortunate in that regard.

I've also been fortunate in that I've been involved with the project from Day 1 on the recruitment side all the way up through now on the operation side. So it's been fun not only to watch Kansas Speedway grow, but to watch the entire area grow around it. It's been phenomenal.

Q: Getting back to family matters, you said you coach your son's youth basketball team. What kind of coach are you?

Boerger: We've been fairly successful. My kids love the sport. Being from Kansas and the tradition that Kansas has in basketball, from the Jayhawks winning a couple national championships since I've been around, it's been enjoyable to take the kids to watch the Jayhawks play. I graduated in '88 when they won their first championship.

But Jake's team has done very well. ... Last year our record wasn't what I expected, but that was probably because of the coaching.

Q: So are you a Bobby Knight-type on the bench?

Boerger: No, I'm pretty calm. Obviously with kids that age, it's all about the basics and helping them grow up. You really can't yell at an 8- or 9-year-old, in my opinion, and teach them what you want to. It's all about teaching them the basic skills and that's what we concentrate on, so maybe they can take it to the next level. I played ball in high school, but they may need someone else to start coaching them if I can't turn our record around.

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