Posted on: January 31, 2024, 01:43h.
Final up to date on: January 30, 2024, 05:44h.
The Arkansas on line casino license earmarked for Pope County will possible be issued earlier than the tip of the 12 months. That’s based on an up to date timeline on how the Arkansas Racing Fee (ARC) will go about fielding bids for the gaming alternative and issuing the state’s fourth and last business on line casino license.
ARC on Tuesday formally adopted revised guidelines to its on line casino gaming protocols in contemplating functions and approving bids. The up to date procedures got here after commissioners have been suggested by counsel equipped by Arkansas Legal professional Basic Tim Griffin’s (R) workplace.
The gaming and horse racing company’s revisions first require the endorsement of Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R). After she indicators off on the framework, the circumstances will transfer to the Legislative Council for assessment.
As soon as the Council points its blessing, ARC can be cleared to open a 30-day bidding interval for on line casino builders excited by securing the Pope County on line casino concession.
How We Arrived Right here
Arkansans in 2018 authorized a statewide poll referendum to permit a single on line casino within the counties of Crittenden, Garland, Jefferson, and Pope.
Two of the licenses have been allotted for the Southland and Oaklawn racino racetracks, respectively positioned in Crittenden and Garland counties. Southland and Oaklawn have since opened Las Vegas-style casinos.
A 3rd license was given to the Quapaw Nation, a Native American tribe in Oklahoma however with deep historic ties to Arkansas. The Quapaws partnered with authorities officers in Jefferson to open the Saracen On line casino Resort.
The Pope license stays up for grabs greater than 5 years after the gaming license was licensed by voters. Two bidders — the Cherokee Nation Companies, the business unit of the Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma, and Mississippi-based Gulfside On line casino Partnership — have tied up the Pope license in court docket.
The Pope County on line casino saga started in 2020 when a commissioner was discovered to have a bias in grading the Gulfside plan an ideal 100/100 whereas giving the Cherokees’ bid simply 29 factors. Regardless of the scandal, ARC’s guidelines required it to problem Gulfside the license inside 30 days of the company’s vote.
The Cherokees sued the state on grounds that ARC shouldn’t have even thought of the Gulfside pitch to construct a $254 million vacation spot in Russellville referred to as River Valley On line casino Resort. In a case that reached the state Supreme Court docket, it was decided that Modification 100 language necessitating a on line casino bid to have the assist of the county decide or quorum court docket referred solely to a sitting decide or quorum court docket — not a former decide or quorum court docket.
The Gulfside pitch included the endorsement of Pope County Choose Ed Gibson, who lent his assist to the on line casino simply days earlier than he exited workplace in December 2018.
Lawsuits Proceed
With the Arkansas Supreme Court docket invalidating the Gulfside pitch, ARC deemed the Cherokees’ $300 million proposal referred to as Legends Resort & On line casino — additionally concentrating on Russellville — because the winner. Gulfside then sued ARC on grounds that the Cherokee pitch additionally violated Modification 100.
In one more case that reached the state’s highest court docket, it was decided that the Cherokees violated the modification by bidding as a consortium. The Cherokee Nation Companies proposal included a newly shaped entity referred to as Legends Resort & On line casino, LLC.
Pulaski County Circuit Choose Tim Fox dominated that Modification 100 required ARC to solely contemplate bids from single entities that may show proficiency in working business casinos. Although the Legends LLC is totally managed by the CNB, which has huge expertise in gaming, the bid together with two entities rendered it absolute.
ARC’s refreshed bidding guidelines for Pope County haven’t but been made public.
