VOTE NO: Pope County Judge Ben Cross urged voters to reject an amendment that would revoke a casino license in Pope County. Credit: Legends Resort and Casino ArkansasA group of people eager to build a casino near Russellville held a press conference Wednesday to urge voters to reject a proposed constitutional amendment that would derail their plans. Pope County Judge Ben Cross stood alongside a bulldozer and the casino’s license, which was issued by state regulators earlier this year. Speaking from a dais set up on the site where the Pope County casino would be built, Cross said the project was not an abstract idea but something that is real and tangible, and that it will benefit the Arkansas River Valley.
Cross pointed to the jobs, taxes and economic development that could be associated with the casino project. Cherokee Nation Entertainment holds the license and is planning a 325-acre project known as Legends Resort and Casino Arkansas. Proponents say the project would provide more than $10 billion in economic impact in its first 10 years. Cross called the project a catalyst for future growth in the area. He predicted that many people will visit the property for concerts or to visit a water park without ever gambling. “We want this to be a tourist destination, not unlike Branson (Missouri), not unlike Hot Springs,” he said.
Cross said the $300 million project would be the biggest economic development project in the area since the construction of Arkansas Nuclear One in the 1970s. Cross said the purpose of the amendment is for the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma to prevent competition at its stateline properties. A Choctaw Casino and Resort is located in Pocola, Oklahoma, on the Arkansas-Oklahoma line near Fort Smith. The amendment, known as Issue 2, is a confusing ballot measure that is part of a proxy war between rival casino groups from Oklahoma.
Proponents of the amendment, sponsored by a committee called Local Voters in Charge, say the measure’s purpose is to “ensure that casinos are not forced into any local community that does not want one.” In 2018, Arkansas voters approved an amendment authorizing casinos in four locations, three of which — in Pine Bluff, Hot Springs and West Memphis — are already open. Arkansas voters approved that amendment 54.1% to 45.9%, while Pope County voted 60.6% to 39.4% against it. The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma has put $8.8 million behind the effort to pass the amendment. The Cherokee Nation Businesses has put $11.6 million behind its effort to defeat the amendment and continue its plans for the Pope County casino. A “yes” vote on the amendment will revoke the casino license, reduce the maximum number of casinos in the state from four to three and require a countywide vote for any future casino in the state. A “no” vote on the amendment will allow the casino project to move forward.
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