The Arkansas Racing Commission recently voted to allow Mississippi’s Gulfside Casino Partnership and Oklahoma’s Cherokee Nation Business to move on to the next and final round of scoring for a new Pope County casino.
Five casino operators originally applied for the Pope County license; in November 2018, Arkansas voters approved one casino each in Pope and Jefferson counties, plus expanded gaming at Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort and Southland Casino Racing. Besides Gulfside and CNB, other applicants included the Choctaw Nation, Tri-Peaks Entertainment Group LLC and Iowa’s Kehl family.
The application and licensing processes went fast and smoothly in the other counties. But in June 2019, the Arkansas Racing Commission rejected all five applications for the Pope County casino license. Four were immediately dismissed because they lacked letters of recommendation or the required provision by the Quorum Courts. Only Gulfside offered letters of recommendation from Pope County Judge Jim Ed Gibson and then-Mayor Randy Horton. However, those letters were granted after Amendment 100 took effect and before the two officials left office.
The Arkansas Racing Commission then changed the rules and determined letter of recommendation need to come from current officeholders, thereby rejecting Gulfside’s application. Meanwhile in August 2019, CNB received approval from the Pope County Quorum Court, allowing it to re-enter the casino license race.
Gulfside sued and in March, Pulaski County Circuit Judge Tim Fox ruled the gaming commission must reconsider its application. On April 15, the commission determined it would not appeal Fox’s decision in order to prevent further delays. Also on April 15, commissioners voted to validate CNB’s recommendation letter from the Pope County Judge and the local Quorum Court.
Gulfside Attorney Lucas Rowan said, “We remain firm in the belief that we are the best choice for Pope County and for Arkansas, with 500 more permanent jobs and $10 million more in annual gaming tax revenue, all kept in state.”
CNB Chief Executive Officer Chuck Garrett commented, “We are extremely pleased with the Arkansas Racing Commission’s unanimous vote to accept our application. We absolutely welcome the opportunity to have our company, its history and our application for Legends Resort & Casino Arkansas objectively scored and judged.”
