Dreams of a casino in Pope County, Arkansas were shattered Tuesday (5 November) when voters approved Issue 2, a measure that revokes an existing license and needs voter approval for any future development.
Arkansas voters backed the initiative 56%-44% on Tuesday, according to local broadcaster THV11. The proposal was the most costly in state history, with campaign contributions totaling more than $30 million (£23.2 million/ €27.8 million). It twice the previous high of $12.4 million for a recreational marijuana plan beginning in 2022.
Unlike most gaming initiatives, Issue 2 repeals an existing licensing. The license in question was granted to Cherokee Nation Businesses by state regulators, but it is now void.
If the Cherokees’ license had lasted, the tribe planned to build the Legends Resort & Casino for $300 million. The location is approximately 75 miles outside of Little Rock. Overall, the tribe spent approximately $12.5 million on the “no” campaign, which received the support of Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders.
To even reach the ballot, the proposition had to overcome two judicial objections, one based on its language and the other on signature-gathering techniques. Going ahead, any gaming expansion in the state must be supported by local residents.
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Pope County’s campaign became a war of tribes.
In 2018, Arkansas voters legalized casinos in four counties: Garland, Jefferson, Crittenden, and Pope. Casinos have since opened in all but Pope County, which has been fraught with controversy and delays.
Gulfside Casinos Partnership was first granted the license in 2020. A year later, however, the decision was overturned in favor of the Cherokees. Since then, the license has been the subject of numerous legal challenges and court decisions. On June 27, state authorities overwhelmingly accepted the tribe’s proposal.
After it became evident that the Cherokees had indeed obtained the license, the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma emerged as the most formidable opponent. The Choctaws run multiple casinos in Oklahoma, one of which is in Pocola, near the Arkansas border. Oklahoma’s casino sector, like Louisiana’s, is highly reliant on out-of-state clients from Texas, Arkansas, and other states with limited or no gaming alternatives.
Overall, the Choctaws contributed more than $17.5 million in their successful campaign to approve Issue 2.
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