Issue 2 passes, Pope County casino dead; Issue 1 receives voter approval

by Michael Tilley (mtilley@talkbusiness.net)

Tens of millions of dollars spent for and against an effort to block construction of a casino in Pope County with a constitutional amendment resulted in the passage of Issue 2. Voter approval of the issue means a Pope County casino will not be built.

Arkansas Secretary of State numbers show that 55.8% of voters were for Issue 2 as of 11:45 p.m. However, 55.6% of Pope County voters were against Issue 2 – an amendment based on the belief that voters should have a say about having a casino in their county.

Voters overwhelmingly approved Issue 1 with 89.7% of the vote as of 11:45 p.m. Issue 1 was a referred constitutional amendment from the Arkansas General Assembly that would expand the use of lottery proceeds so that they can be used to fund scholarships for Arkansas citizens enrolled in vocational- technical schools and technical institutes. The popular legislative referral was pushed by Rep. Robin Lundstrum, R-Elm Springs, and Sen. Jane English, R-North Little Rock.

Issue 2 passes, Pope County casino dead; Issue 1 receives voter approval

Lawsuit filed over Arkansas casino amendment

KUAR | By Josie Lenora

Oklahoma-based Cherokee Nation Businesses is challenging a recently approved ballot amendment in the Arkansas Supreme Court.

On Wednesday, Secretary of State John Thurston approved an amendment to stop a casino from being built in Pope County. The amendment had enough approved signatures to go on the ballot for voters in November.

The amendment being pushed by a group called Local Voters in Charge would prevent a casino from being built in any community that did not vote for it. Cherokee Nation Businesses and a new group called the Arkansas Canvassing Compliance Committee are opposing the amendment.

Lawsuit filed over Arkansas casino amendment

Legends Resort & Casino

A rendering of the proposed Legends Resort and Casino in Pope County. A new lawsuit says signatures collected for an amendment to repeal the Pope County casino license were illegally gathered.

Arkansas Racing Commission defers vote on new Pope County casino license process

KUAR | By Hunter Field / Arkansas Advocate

From the Arkansas Advocate:

The issuance of Arkansas’ fourth and final casino license will be delayed — again — likely for months.

And if the litigious history of the Pope County casino permit is a guide, the wait could be far longer.

The Arkansas Racing Commission, which oversees the state’s casinos, met for a half hour on Wednesday, but it took no action, instead deciding to study a set of proposed rule changes until next week.

Arkansas Racing Commission defers vote on new Pope County casino license process

Legends Resort & Casino

A rendering of Legends Resort & Casino in Pope County.

Judge voids Pope County casino license granted to Cherokee Nation

by Talk Business and Politics (staff@talkbusiness.net)

The contentious path to building a casino in Pope County took yet another turn Thursday (Jan. 12) when Pulaski County Circuit Court Judge Tim Fox ruled that Arkansas officials “unconstitutionally” granted a casino license to Cherokee Nation Businesses.

Gulfside Casino Partnership had appealed a November 2021 decision by the Arkansas Racing Commission to grant the Pope County license to Cherokee Nation Businesses and its Legends Resort and Casino company.

The Cherokee Nation proposal was approved in a narrow 3-2 Racing Commission vote after the Arkansas Supreme Court ruled ineligible the Gulfside Casino Partnership proposal in late October 2021. The state’s high court ruled that Gulfside did not have an official letter from an elected official during the active part of the application process, while Cherokee Nation did.

https://talkbusiness.net/2023/01/judge-voids-pope-county-casino-license-granted-to-cherokee-nation/

Signatures submitted for recreational marijuana measure, Pope County casino repeal

by Marine Glisovic (msglisovic@sbgtv.com)

Two ballot titles were turned in Friday (July 8) to the Arkansas Secretary of State’s (SOS) office. If certified, Arkansas voters will vote on two questions, with one related to recreational marijuana, and the other involving a planned casino in Pope County.

The signatures must first be certified by the SOS. It takes 89,151 valid signatures for an item to be approved for the ballot.

Friday morning, the group behind the adult use marijuana proposal, Responsible Growth for Arkansas, submitted more than 190,000 petition signatures and ballot title for certification. According to the filing made with the SOS, former state legislator and former Democratic Party of Arkansas official Eddie Armstrong is listed as the chairman of the group.

https://talkbusiness.net/2022/07/signatures-submitted-for-recreational-marijuana-measure-pope-county-casino-repeal/

Daniel Breen/KUAR News

Steve Lancaster, attorney for Responsible Growth Arkansas, submits paperwork to Leslie Bellamy (left), director of elections for the Arkansas Secretary of State's office, and Shantell McGraw (center), assistant director of elections.

Arkansas Supreme Court rules for Cherokee Nation in Pope County casino case

KUAR | By Roby Brock / Talk Business & Politics

The Arkansas Supreme Court on Thursday ruled in favor of the Cherokee Nation Businesses and against Gulfside Casino Partnership in a long-running controversial series of legal and regulatory challenges to place a casino in Pope County.

The dispute arises from actions taken soon after voters approved The Arkansas Casino Gaming Amendment, which requires the Racing Commission to issue licenses to Oaklawn Jockey Club in Hot Springs, Southland Racing Corporation in West Memphis, and to entities in Pope County and Jefferson County.

The high court’s ruling in Cherokee Nation Businesses and Arkansas Racing Commission vs. Gulfside Casino Partnership focused on which entity was a legal applicant for a casino license.

https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/local-regional-news/2021-10-21/arkansas-supreme-court-rules-for-cherokee-nation-in-pope-county-casino-case

The Arkansas Supreme Court