Arkansas voters have altered their previous decision regarding commercial casinos in key counties. On Election Day, they passed a referendum that effectively rescinded the casino license designated for Pope County, stripping the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma of its plans to develop a $300 million casino in Russellville.
Six years ago, Arkansas voters endorsed a statewide referendum that legalized slot machines, live dealer table games, and sports betting, transforming racetracks in Crittenden’s West Memphis and Garland’s Hot Springs into full-scale casinos. The Saracen Casino Resort in Jefferson’s Pine Bluff also emerged from this change. However, the Pope County casino license has faced numerous legal entanglements, which delayed its issuance.
The Arkansas Racing Commission (ARC) had finally awarded the Pope County license to the Cherokee Nation in June after determining it was the lone qualifying bid amidst prolonged legal disputes. But the recent gaming referendum results have nullified that decision.
The Choctaw Nation, a rival to the Cherokees, funded the 2024 statewide gaming referendum to rescind the Pope County casino license, aiming to safeguard its tribal casinos in Eastern Oklahoma. Through their Arkansas political campaign, Local Voters in Charge, they invested nearly $18 million into the ballot initiative titled “Require Voter Approval for Casino Licenses.”
Issue 2 sought an amendment to the Arkansas Constitution to mandate that the ARC could only issue casino licenses in counties where a local referendum supporting the casino had been held. With 100% of the state votes counted, Issue 2 passed with close to 56% approval, thereby canceling the Cherokees’ license and halting their planned Legends Resort & Casino in Russellville.
In Pope County, opinions appear to have shifted since the 2018 vote when it was one of only 11 counties that opposed the casino measure. Pope County Judge Ben Cross, a proponent of the Cherokee casino project, urged residents to reject the 2024 referendum. His stance seemed validated when about 56% of Pope County voters opposed Issue 2.
“Local Voters in Charge has been saying they want a local vote. Well, they got one tonight, and it was definitively against their action,” Cross remarked. Expressing disappointment, he added, “We’re disappointed by the fact that people bought into the disinformation that was being put out. The people closest to the source of contention knew the reality of it and recognized it for the value it is, while the rest of the state bought into misleading advertising.”
