Lawsuit filed over casino license for Pope County, contending Cherokee firm lacks experience

A lawsuit filed Tuesday asked the Pulaski County Circuit Court to issue a temporary restraining order halting any movement on a casino in Pope County until the question of whether Legends Resort and Casino has casino experience can be answered.

The case — filed by John “Cliff” Goodin in the courtroom of Pulaski County Circuit Judge Tim Fox — also takes issue with how the license recipient’s name is listed on the gambling license issued last month.

Dustin McDaniel, Cherokee Nation Businesses’ attorney, said the Pope County license was issued “properly and consistently” with Racing Commission rules and “CNB’s application.”

“We are confident in our legal position and will work quickly to dismiss this new lawsuit which rehashes old allegations already addressed by the Arkansas Racing Commission, not to mention the Commission’s expert consultant which found CNB to have superior experience,” McDaniel said.

When asked for comment about the legal challenge, Racing Commission spokesman Scott Hardin said the commission was aware of the complaint made in Tuesday’s filing, and that “a very similar issue is pending before Judge Fox.”

Few, if any, of the JPs are members of PCM. If we want to tell them something we need to use other means.
Here are the email addresses for all of the JPs. (I email all of my open letters to all of them, plus the county judge and select media.)

jason.muncy@popecountyar.gov,
phaney8994@gmail.com,
jennifer.sloan@popecountyar.gov,
tim.whittenburg@popecountyar.gov,
jackie.heflin@popecountyar.gov,
jamie.jackson@popecountyar.gov,
roy.reaves@popecountyar.gov,
doug.skelton@popecountyar.gov,
bill.sparks@popecountyar.gov,
Allan.George@popecountyar.gov,
joseph.pearson@popecountyar.gov,
david.ivy@popecountyar.gov

Other info: https://www.popecountyar.gov/justices-of-peace
Zoomable Google map of JP Districts: https://www.popecountyar.gov/justices-of-peace

Last Thursday, the quorum court tabled their proposed (and moot) ordinance on casino applicant letter and/or resolution of support.

However, there was more drama later in the meeting.

Apparently, the part-time county attorney position that has been there for decades had never been established by any ordinance and, at the last budget meeting, it was defunded, stupidly, because of that. During the quorum court meeting, Jennifer Sloan tried to rectify that with an ordinance, which was seconded by Jackson. Before it could get a first reading, Lane Scott interjected with a “point of order.” They ended up talking about it and someone brought up that it should go through the normal personnel process. Someone else mentioned declaring an emergency and getting it done that meeting. Sloan said that’s what she was hoping for. Judge Cross tried to corral things and get back on track so they could get out of there before the parade crowds and parking started blocking everything. Before he could get it to a first reading vote, Jackson withdrew his second and the Ordinance died for lack of a second.

Following the meeting:

County attorney resigns after JPs decline funding position

I keep finding stuff.

I know much of this is now history and moot, but I keep finding interesting stuff.

On December 27, 2018, State Senator Breanne Davis sent a letter “on a matter of significant importance” to Attorney General Leslie Rutledge, who declined to give an opinion because of ongoing litigation.

Our incumbent County Judge did not seek reelection. He will leave office at the end of his term, which is approximately 4 days from now. He has held no hearings nor offered any indication that he is in private negotiations with or in support of a small casino operator from Mississippi until the last couple of days. However, the incumbent County Judge has now indicated with great seriousness to Pope County citizens that he is strongly considering signing a letter to the Arkansas Gaming Commission endorsing this small operator to proceed with the casino license application process… My sincere hope is that the County Judge will not sully his more than 30 years of service to the County with such last minute defiance of the clear will of the citizenry.

Russellville Courier

Pope County Justices of the Peace kicked the casino can of worms into next year Thursday when they voted to table the third and final vote on an ordinance which would put casino applicant approval to a vote of the people.

Barring unforeseen circumstances, Legends Resort & Casino Arkansas SHOULD be in operation by the middle of May 2023.

For those who are wanting to actually see progress, this (text) is from the application for the license that Legends/CNB was awarded.

Note: the image is not from the application.

Well, at least I got something “concrete” done today. (and even watched part of the disappointment of a quorum court meeting)