Arkansas Wins in 2016 has petitioned the state Supreme Court to reconsider its ruling that disqualified from the November ballot a proposed constitutional amendment which would have given three private companies rights to operate casinos in Boone, Miller and Washington counties and to transfer their licenses to other firms.
The high court earlier ruled that the ballot title did not inform Arkansas voters that the measure would violate a federal law prohibiting sports gambling in the state, and ordered officials to not count any votes cast for the amendment in November. Arkansas Wins responded that issue did not need to be disclosed since sports gambling is not a critical part of the proposed amendment.
The lawsuit challenging the measure was filed by Protect Arkansas Values/Stop Casinos Now and funded by Delaware North, operator of Southland Park Gaming and Racing in West Memphis and Oaklawn Racing and Gaming in Hot Springs.The lawsuit alleged the proposal was misleading to voters.
Protect Arkansas Values/Stop Casinos Now Chairman Chuck Lange said, “We hope that this sends a signal to others who would attempt to write special rights for themselves into the Arkansas Constitution.”
Arkansas Wins spokesman Robert Coon said, “Most importantly, it’s a shame that the voters of Arkansas, including the more than 100,000 that signed our petitions, are being denied the opportunity to vote on an amendment that would create thousands of jobs and more than $120 million in new tax revenue for the state and local communities.”
Governor Asa Hutchinson also said the state did not need more gambling. Besides racetracks, Arkansas has a lottery that funds college scholarships and also allows charitable bingo.
Meanwhile, according to campaign finance reports, the Cherokee Nation gave $6 million to Arkansas Wins. The campaign previously stated Cherokee Nation Entertainment would run the Washington county casino if the measure passed. Southland Park donated more than $721,000 to Protect Arkansas Values/Stop Casinos Now; Oaklawn Racing and Gaming in Hot Springs gave the group more than $748,000.
In addition, the Center for Public Integrity said supporters and opponents of the proposed amendment together spent more than $2 million on more than 2,333 TV ads. Arkansas Wins in 2016 spent more than $1 million and Protect Arkansas Values/Stop Casinos Now spent more than $1.2 million on ads. Ads that aired on cable television, radio or online were not included in the figures.
