The Arkansas Racing Commission (ARC) recently approved rules regarding a new 30-day application period for the state’s fourth and final casino license in Pope County.
The legislature is expected to approve the new rules in April, and the commission could start accepting applications as early as May, said Deputy Attorney General Doralee Chandler
It’s the third time the commission will issue a Pope County casino license since Arkansas voters approved allowing four casinos in the state. The previous two licenses, issued to Gulfside Casino Partnership and, most recently, Cherokee Nation Business/Legends Resort & Casino, were voided by the courts, leading to five years of bureaucratic and legal wrangling by potential casino operators and anti-casino Pope County residents.
According to the Arkansas Advocate, ARC Chairman Alex Lieblong said, “We’ve been through enough litigation to last us a lifetime.”
If approved by lawmakers in April, the rules will be filed with the Arkansas Secretary of State’s office and take effect after a 10-day waiting period. Next, the commission will develop a scoring system and then open the application window.
Arkansans voted to legalize casino gambling through a 2018 ballot initiative that amended the state constitution and allowed four casinos. The first two were expansions of existing racetracks in West Memphis and Hot Springs. The third license was issued in Jefferson County to the Quapaw Nation, which opened Saracen Casino Resort in Pine Bluff without opposition or controversy.
However, the Pope County license drew intense local opposition and multiple casino operators seeking the license. Observers said the Cherokee Nation group still is considered the favorite to get the last license, since it’s the only developer to present the required letter of support from elected officials in Pope County. Gulfside and other groups still are expected to pursue the license.
