By MICHAEL TILLEY/ TALK BUSINESS & POLITICS
Gulfside Casino Partnership, which on June 18 was awarded a license for a a $254 million casino resort in Pope County, must now work with a competitor and the Arkansas Attorney General’s office to determine the future of the license.
The Arkansas Racing Commission on Monday agreed 6-0 that scoring bias tainted awarding of the license.
The Mississippi-based company was awarded the license over Cherokee Nation Businesses (CNB). In August 2019, the Pope County Quorum Court endorsed the $225 million Cherokee Nation project. The Cherokees’ bid included a partnership with Legends, a stadium-management, sports, and live entertainment company founded in 2008 by Arkansas native and Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and the late George Steinbrenner, former owner of the New York Yankees.
In November 2018, Arkansas voters approved Issue 4, now Amendment 100, to allow for expanded casino operations at Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort (Garland County), Southland Casino Racing (Crittenden County) and new casinos in Pope and Jefferson counties.
The approval and licensing process in Crittenden, Garland and Jefferson counties was relatively quick and smooth. Oaklawn Racing and Gaming announced plans for a $100 million-plus project that will include a new high-rise hotel, multi-purpose event center, a larger gaming area and extra on-site parking. Privately-held Delaware North is building a new 240,000 square foot casino complex and a 20-story, 300-room hotel in the Crittenden County bedroom community across the Mississippi River from Memphis, Tenn. It is expected to open in early 2021. The Quapaw Nation was the only applicant for a casino to be located in Jefferson County. Its $350 million complex is under construction.
Pope County Casino License Now Uncertain After Commission Confirms Scoring Bias
Not so fast on placing your bets. Gulfside Casino Partnership, which on June 18 was awarded a license for a a $254 million casino resort in Pope County, must now work with a competitor and the Arkansas Attorney General's office to determine the future of the license.