While I’m a registered voter, I’m not very political. Last Thursday’s quorum court meeting was the first governing organization meeting of any kind since my high school civics class went to a Houston, Texas city council meeting 50 years ago. The issues currently in front of us are important for our county and the surrounding area.
(Image by Elizabeth Armstrong)
This is the closest I’ve been able to find so far as an “official” 90 day review period.
A June 13, 2019, Talk Business & Politics article, State Racing Commission approves Pine Bluff casino license, rejects five bids for Pope County, talks about why none of the Pope County casino applications were accepted and reopening the application process if an applicant receive the required local support document(s).
After naming the five applications requesting casino permits in Pope County, Freeland told the gaming panel that none of the proposals had received letters of recommendations from current local city officials or the county judge where the casinos would be located.
Freeland also told the commissioners that Act 371 by Sen. Breanne Davis, R-Russellville, was approved by the legislature during the recent 2019 regular session with an emergency clause that led the bill to become law immediately in March. He said that legislation makes clear that approval for a casino in either Pope or Jefferson County must come from the local quorum court, county judge or mayor at the time an application is made for a casino license.
“So, the recommendation is that all five of these applications be denied as being incomplete under the Arkansas Racing Commission’s (rules) and the Arkansas law passed in Act 371,” said Freeland. “I also recommend that if a casino in Pope County in the future receives the support that the Racing Commission reopen the process for some period that you will establish 30 to 90 days that will give the applicants an opportunity to acquire a letter issued by the county judge or mayor.”
Before the gaming commission decided on the Pope County applicants, attorney Casey Castleberry spoke on behalf of Gulfport, Miss.-based Gulfside Casino Partnership that has announced plans to build a $250 million casino complex in Russellville. Castleberry said he wanted to make it clear for the record that Gulfside officials believe the commission’s rule and Davis’ bill approved are both unconstitutional.
“We may challenge that,” said Castleberry, adding that Arkansas gaming rules also state that each Pope County casino applicant submit to an interview.
If the constitution’s Amendment 100 mandated a letter from the Judge or a resolution from the quorum court, it’d already be done. It does not.
“Each casino licensee shall be subject to the same income, property, sales, gross receipts, use, employment, and other taxation as any for-profit business located in the county and city or town in which the casino is located, except that no sales or gross receipts tax shall apply to casino gaming receipts or net casino gaming receipts.”
So I saw a lady make a statement on TV—and I just had to go with it!
… and here’s that segment from the news show:
In a brief September 27, 2018 KARK article, Election Explainer: What the Casino Expansion Issue Would Do in Arkansas, Nate Steel, legal counsel for Driving Arkansas Forward, said the the locations selected and the restriction of number of casinos for the state were intended to ensure that the facilities would be substatioal attractions. He also said that “the locations were based on economic need and population.”
Driving Arkansas Forward launched its casino constitutional amendment effort on January 5, 2018. The original effort was for generating additional funding for Arkansas highways through a maximum of three casinos, with no more than one in any county. The amendment was to allocate 65 percent of all casino tax revenues to pay for needed improvements in the state’s highways and bridges. Casino licenses would be issued by the Arkansas Lottery Division of the state Department of Finance and Administration “through a merit-based selection method, with approval from municipal or county leaders in the communities where the casinos may be located.” Counties had to meet specific population and economic criteria to be eligible for selection.[1], [2]
Nate Steel, counsel for Driving Arkansas Forward, said “This amendment focuses on highway funding while creating a fair, transparent and merit-based process for issuing gaming licenses. We can no longer afford to lose potential gaming revenue to surrounding states when we have the opportunity to keep that money here and create jobs in communities that need them.”[3]
“We’re not talking about some roadside slot machine type place. This is going to be a resort. We expect they would bring convention centers, tourism dollars and a huge shot in the arm to the Arkansas Highway Trust Fund,” said Steel. “These are real resort, tourism type facilities that I think the counties and town will be very proud to have.”[4]
The idea that Pope County might be one of the counties selected for a casino generated some local buzz, including a discussion in a January 2018 city council meeting in Russellville. Mayor Randy Horton said he has received calls about it, but, remarked, “There’s no guarantee Pope County will be considered.” Alderman Freddie Harris wondered if that would be something “we could discuss with the convention center people” if Pope County was selected and commented, “It’s nice to see Pope County get recognition.”
A casino in the county might mean a major industry drawing people who go to Oklahoma, Hot Springs or Tunica for their gambling. People who come here from other regions might look at Arkansas Tech for their kids or decide on the River Valley as a place to retire. “This is a great location, if that is what the people want to do here,” the mayor explained. “From a sales tax aspect of it, they will not just play slot machines. They will stay here and buy something while they are here… But who knows if it will happen anywhere? But if it does something, we need to sit down and have a serious talk about it. What do they want, and what do they want the community to look at.” Horton said it is early, but it is something they will keep their eyes on. “People keep calling me and teaming a casino with the convention center. I honestly think that would be a great site for it. We would welcome the revenue, and it’s another way to keep people from going to Fort Smith or Conway.”
[1] “Group Hopes to Pass Measure Allowing Casino Tax Revenues to Fund Highway Projects.” KARK. January 5, 2018. Accessed July 27, 2019. https://www.kark.com/news/group-hopes-to-pass-measure-allowing-casino-tax-revenues-to-fund-highway-projects/. The amendment would first authorize the Arkansas Lottery Division to approve a license for a casino in Jefferson County. A subsequent license would be issued in Crittenden County and the final, third license could be granted for a casino located in either Miller, Mississippi, Pope, Union or White counties.
[2] Wickline, Michael R. “Casino Plan for Arkansas Proposed to Benefit Roads.” Arkansas Online. January 06, 2018. Accessed July 27, 2019. https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2018/jan/06/casino-plan-proposed-to-benefit-roads-2-1/.
[3] “Group Hopes to Pass Measure Allowing Casino Tax Revenues to Fund Highway Projects.”
[4] “Proposed Resort-like Casinos in Arkansas Would Benefit Roads.” KTHV. January 09, 2018. Accessed July 28, 2019. https://www.thv11.com/article/money/proposed-resort-like-casinos-in-arkansas-would-benefit-roads/91-506386973.
[5] “A Casino in Pope County?” The Courier. January 24, 2018. Accessed July 28, 2019. https://couriernews.com/Content/Default/Local-News/Article/A-casino-in-Pope-County-/-3/54/297. (Link returns “403 – Access Forbidden” error message (3-8-2020)
