The group Driving Arkansas Forward recently submitted the name and ballot title of a proposed constitutional amendment to Attorney General Leslie Rutledge. The amendment would authorize the Arkansas Lottery Commission to approve a license for a casino in Jefferson County plus two others, with 65 percent of the tax revenue going toward road and bridge improvements.
In an unscientific poll, a majority of 196 magnoliareporter.com readers approved the plan. In answer to the question, “What do you think about the proposal to create casinos in Arkansas, with most of the resulting tax revenue going toward highway construction?” 107 or 54.59 percent of respondents said it was a good idea and 89 or 45.41 percent said it was a bad idea.
At a recent meeting at the Economic Development Alliance for Jefferson County, Quapaw Indian Tribe Chief John Berrey presented plans for a proposed casino in Pine Bluff in Jefferson County. He said the casino resort would create 1,000 new jobs.
Also at the meeting, Washington County, Mississippi Economic Alliance Executive Director Cary Karlson said the two casinos located in his county have provided jobs, economic activity and increased tax revenue without hurting existing businesses. Karlson said Harlow’s Casino Resort & Spa and Trop Casinos Greenville, both located in Greenville, population 31,500, provide a combined total of 717 jobs. “Both casinos serve different markets. Harlow’s serves more people from Louisiana and Arkansas. The Trop casino brings in more local people,” he said. Tax revenue from the properties go to the Washington County government and to the Greenville School District.
Rudy Schultz, mayor of Miami, Oklahoma, population 13,500, also spoke at the meeting. Miami is the home of Buffalo Run Casino, High Winds Casino, Prairie Moon Casino, Prairie Sun Casino, Quapaw Casino and Stables Casino. Schultz said the casinos provide above-average pay and excellent employee benefits. “The health benefits, in particular, are important because they result in increased utilization of our local rural hospital, which struggles like all rural hospitals. The casinos have also been generous supporters of our local schools. I am not personally or generally aware of any significant problems related to the casinos,” he said.
Miami, Oklahoma, Chamber of Commerce President and Chief Executive Officer Steve Gilbert said Ottawa County, Oklahoma “enjoys the fact that we are made up of the historic boundaries of 10 sovereign Indian tribes. Each tribal government provides a wide-range of programs and services to tribal members and their families. In addition, many tribes here have diversified and sophisticated business enterprises that they operate, including gaming, but much, much more. For the Quapaw Tribe, this is especially true. Due to our local tribal governments, the citizens of Miami and Ottawa County, and the region, enjoy good jobs with benefits, and tribal enterprises have a significant and positive economic impact on our local economy. In Miami, Oklahoma, we are committed to collaboration and partnerships with our local tribal governments.”
