The Cherokee Casino Scheme for Pope County in Arkansas Reinforces Leading Position
The Cherokee Tribe has been the favorite to receive the last casino license the Arkansas Racing Commission (ARC) can grant. On Thursday evening, they made their case even stronger.
The Pope County Quorum Court heard from two companies - Oklahoma-based Cherokee Nation Entertainment and Mississippi-based Gulfside Casino Partnership. These two companies were competing for the license designated for Pope County, which was approved via a ballot referendum in 2018.
In order to be considered by ARC, submissions must include a letter of support from Pope County Judge Ben Cross or an endorsement from the Pope County Quorum Court. Without this backing, casino proposals will not receive any attention from the regulatory agency.
Support from the Judiciary
Judge Cross remains in favor of the Cherokee Nation's casino vision, named Legends Resort & Casino. This $300 million project includes a 50,000-sq-ft casino featuring 1,200 slot machines, 32 live dealer table games, a sportsbook, and a poker room. There would also be around 200 hotel rooms.
Gulfside, on the other hand, presented a bigger project with a $405 million investment and a 70,000-sq-ft casino. This bigger casino would come with 1,500 slot machines, 50 tables, a sportsbook, and 300 hotel rooms. They tried to sweeten the deal with a one-time $65 million payment to Pope County and Russellville if they received the gaming license.
However, during the meeting on Thursday, the Pope County Quorum Court chose to reaffirm its support for the Cherokee Nation's proposal. This means that the Legends casino project is the only plan that will now face the ARC.
"Our $300 million project is not just an idea. It's a well-planned economic development plan that's been in the works for over five years and has the backing of Pope County leaders," said Mark Fulton, President of Cherokee Nation Entertainment. "Our shovel-ready development will allow us to open and operate more than a year ahead of any other proposals. Legends Resort & Casino will bring many jobs to Pope County and create over $5 billion in economic impact during the first ten years."
Potential Obstacle
The Gulfside proposal, known as River Valley Casino Resort, may have been disqualified, making the Cherokee plan PoP county's likely choice for the casino license. However, there is one final obstacle the casino must navigate before it can break ground.
A citizen-led ballot referendum initiative, Local Voters in Charge, is aiming to cancel the Pope County casino license through a proposed amendment to the Arkansas Constitution. These political activists have been locked in a legal battle for years and now want voters to decide on this matter in November.
Pope County was one of 11 counties that rejected the 2018 casino question, but since the state's other 64 counties supported it, the referendum passed, allowing casinos in Pope, Crittenden, Jefferson, and Garland counties.
Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin (R) has approved the referendum wording. For the campaign to reach the ballot in November, they need to gather 90,704 signatures and submit them to Griffin's office before July 5.
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