The Arkansas Racing Commission recently approved two new rules related to Amendment 100, which passed 54-46 percent in a statewide referendum in November. The amendment will allow Southland Gaming and Racing greyhound racetrack in West Memphis and Oaklawn Park Racing and Gaming thoroughbred racetrack in Hot Springs to offer full-fledged casino gambling. Both venues currently offer electronic games of skill. The amendment also authorizes one casino each in Jefferson County and in Pope County.
The two new casinos must receive letters of support from the respective county judges or quorum courts, plus support from a city’s mayor if the casinos are built within city limits. One of the rules approved by the Racing Commission states those letters should be dated after November 14, the effective date of the amendment. County Judge Booker Clemons of Jefferson County wrote a letter of support on November 19 in support of the Quapaw Nation’s proposed Saracen Casino Resort in Pine Bluff.
However, Clemons’ term as county judge expires at the end of this year. When the letter was released, it was unclear if the Quapaw Tribe would need an additional letter from Jefferson County Sheriff Gerald Robinson who will succeed Clemons as county judge. Robinson has stated that he supports the casino.
The commission’s attorney Byron Freeland said under the proposed rule, Clemons’ letter would satisfy the requirement for local support. The rule passed without debate among the commissioners or comments from the audience.
Pine Bluff Mayor Shirley Washington also wrote a letter supporting the proposed casino.
The second approved rule involved licensing employees who will work at the casinos.
In Pope County, voters rejected the casino amendment 60-40 percent and also approved by 70 percent a countywide ordinance prohibiting either the county judge or the quorum court from drafting a letter in support of a proposed casino without first getting approval from voters in a countywide election. No countywide referendum has taken place as yet.
Meanwhile, former Pope County Judge Jim Ed Gibson, on his last day in office, wrote a letter to the state racing commission in support of a proposal from Mississippi-based Gulfside Casino Partnership to build a $250 million resort casino in three phases by 2020. A lawsuit was filed against Gibson and the state attorney general’s office is expected to weigh in on the issue.
The new Pope County Judge Ben Cross said he opposes a casino. “It is with great discouragement and dismay to have learned of the actions of the current county judge in regards to the casino issue. To have a lame duck official act in total disregard to the express wishes of the residents of Pope County is appalling and a complete affront to our representative democracy. Legal challenges aside, it is my responsibility to represent and respect the voters’ decision of those who elected me to lead our county.”
Russellville Mayor Randy Horton also sent a letter to the commission on behalf of Gulfside, stating the company “best exemplifies the ideal for an operator for Pope County. The community support, reputation, employee satisfaction, commitment to security, quality of properties and history of supporting and giving back to the surrounding community combined with verifiable financial stability and legal gambling operations are all factors in this evaluation.”
Gulfside co-owner Terry Green stated, “We are excited to make a significant economic investment in the Arkansas River Valley with this first-class resort. This project will create more than 1,500 new jobs and generate millions of dollars in taxes–improving the county’s infrastructure and its overall quality of life.”
A specific location has not been announced for the Pope County casino. The Cherokee Nation also has expressed interest in developing a casino there.
