Pope County Casino Blocked by Election Vote

Casino License Revoked by Issue 2

The Pope County casino license issued to the Cherokee Nation for a casino, to be named Legends Resort Casino Arkansas, has been rescinded by voters approving a Nov. 5th ballot amendment, Issue No. 2.

The Cherokee had been licensed to build a $300 million casino resort in Russelville. (See plan)

Pope County will now have to restart the casino selection process to proceed with a casino. Approval by Pope County voters is now required before a license can be issued.

News

Pope County Casino | Cherokee Nation sues to block Issue 2 November 15, 2024 - Last week Arkansas voters approved Issue 2, which repeals the Pope County casino license issued last June to Cherokee Nation Ent ... Read more Election Day | Pope County Casino Blocked by Issue No. 2 Approval November 5, 2024 - Arkansas voters approved Issue No. 2 tonight. The ballot measure voids the Pope County casino license issued by the Arkansas Racing Commission ... Read more Pope County Casino | Arkansas Supreme Court certifies casino measure for Nov. ballot October 17, 2024 - The Arkansas Supreme Court ruled today against the second part of a legal challenge to disqualify Issue 2, as a casino measure ... Read more Cherokee Nation (CNE) sues to block anti-casino ballot amendment August 5, 2024 - One day after Arkansas officials approved an anti-casino ballot measure for this November, Cherokee Nation Entertainment filed a lawsuit to block it ... Read more Pope County Casino | New Lawsuit Filed July 8, 2024 - Thought it was over? Uh-uh. Five days after the Pope County casino license was awarded to Cherokee Nation Entertainment (CNE), the rival applicant, Gulfside Casino Partnership, filed ... Read more Legends Resort & Casino Arkansas awarded Pope County casino license June 28, 2024 - The Arkansas Racing Commission voted unanimously yesterday to award the Pope County casino license to Cherokee Nation Entertainment (CNE) for its ... Read more Headlines continued...

Pope County Casino Status

Pope County does not have a licensed casino after Arkansas voters approved Issue No. 2 in the Nov. 5, 2024 election. The ballot measure voided the existing casino license awarded to the Cherokee Nation for the Legends Resort Casino Arkansas and forces the County to restart the casino selection process for a new license approved by county residents.

The following is a summary of the casino licensing history:

• License
  June 27, 2024
  The Arkansas Racing Commission found only one qualified bidder for the Pope County casino license and voted unanimously to award the license to Cherokee Nation Entertainment (CNE).

• Lawsuit
  July 3, 3024
  Gulfside Casino Partnership, a competing casino bidder, filed a lawsuit against the Pope County licensing decision citing CNE, the Quorum Court, Judge Ben Cross, the Arkansas Racing Commission, and others as defendants. The Cherokee immediately petitioned to move this case to federal court, and the motion has been accepted.

• Ballot Amendment
  July 31, 2024
  An advocacy group funded by the Choctaw Nation has successfully petitioned the state to add an anti-casino ballot measure in the November election. If passed, the measure will void the Cherokee casino license, and require voter approval as a precondition for granting a new Pope County casino license.

• Ballot Amendment Challenged
  August 1, 2024
  The Cherokee Nation filed a lawsuit against Secretary of State Thurston to dismiss the anti-casino ballot measure alleging violations in the signature collection process.

  August 9, 2024
  The Arkansas Supreme Court agreed to expedite its review of the anti-casino ballot initiative, and ordered briefs be submitted beginning Aug. 16, with final replies due by Sept. 26.

• Arkansas Supreme Court Rejects Ballot Challenge
  Oct. 14, 2024
  The Arkansas Supreme Court rejected a challenge to the Issue ballot measure by the Cherokee Nation Entertainment LLC, based on lack of enough evidence to prove violations of signature-gathering procedures.

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History | Pope County Casino

2020 Pope County Casino License

In mid-2020 the Arkansas Racing Commission selected and licensed a plan submitted by a Mississippi casino group, Gulfside Casino Partners, to build a $254M casino resort in Russellville, Pope County, Arkansas. The casino, named River Valley Casino Resort, would feature 2,100 slot machines, 100 table games and 600 hotel rooms

A court decision ruled the River Valley casino license was invalid due to discrepancies in the casino selection process.

The license awarded to Legends Resort & Casino Arkansas was challenged in court by Gulfside Casino Partners for violatation of procedural regulations. In Octobe 2023 the Arkansas Supreme Court agreed with Gulfside that the selection process did not follow required procedures and, thus, invalidated the Legends casino license.

2024 Pope County Casino Selection

The 2023 Arkansas Supreme Court ruling against the Pope County selection of Legends Resort Casino Arkansas mandated a new casino application process for a new selection of a Pope County casino. A selection process was approved by the Arkansas Racing Commission and casino appolications were resubmitted in June 2024.

A new casino application process began May 13, 2024. The deadline for submission was June 11, 2024. The Arkansas Racing Commission received applications from Cherokee Nation Entertainment for the Legends Resort & Casino Arkansas, Gulfside Casino Partners for River Valley Casino Resort, and a letter of interest from Churchill Downs.

There were two applicants:

Legends Resort & Casino Arkansas
Russellville, Arkansas
Applicant: Cherokee Nation Entertainment, a subsidiary of the Cherokee Nation.

River Valley Casino Resort
Russellville, Arkansas
Applicant: Gulfside Casino Partners

Pope County Casino Selection
On June 27, 2924 the Arkansas Racing Commission awarded the Pope County casino license to Cherokee Nation Entertainment for the proposed Legends Resort & Casino Arkansas.

Election Nov. 5, 2024
The Pope County casino license was voided by voter approval of a ballot amendment, Issue No. 2, which now requires county elections for voter approval prior to the issuance of a new casino license.

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Nation | Tribe: Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma

LEGENDS RESORT & CASINO ARKANSAS

314 W B Street
Russellville, AR 72801

Legends Resort Casino Arkansas was planned and licensed to be built in Russellville, Polk County. Arkansas. Legends would include a casino, hotel, conference center, concert venue, outdoor waterpark and a RV park. Construction was estimated to last 18 months with the grand opening in 2026.

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Legends Resort Casino Arkansas

Legends Resort & Casino Arkansas was licensed by the Arkansas Racing Commission on June 27, 2024, after five years of legal challenges, an invalidated casino license, and a second aplication process. The $300 million casino resort was to be built by Cherokee Nation Entertainment, a business entity of the Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma.

The location of Legends Resort & Casino Arkansas was to be 314 W B Street in Russellville, Arkansas on a 235-acre site north of Interstate 40 on Nob Hill Road. The western boundry was Weir Road, the eastern boundry is Alaskan Trail.

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Features | Legends Resort Casino Arkansas

Gaming

Restaurants

Entertainment

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Hotel

Hotel and pool rendering of Legends Resort and Casino Arkansas

Conference and Meeting Space

RV Park

News Articles

Pope County Casino | Cherokee Nation sues to block Issue 2

November 15, 2024

Last week Arkansas voters approved Issue 2, which repeals the Pope County casino license issued last June to Cherokee Nation Entertainment, the gaming subsidiary of the Cherokee Nation. The Cherokee planned to build a $300 million casino, named Legends Resort Casino, in Russellville. When Issue 2 passed, the Cherokee immediately filed a federal lawsuit to block and save their license.

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Casino license holders file lawsuit against Arkansas over Issue 2 - Courtesy of 5NEWS, Nov 11, 2024. Available from YouTube

The Cherokee Nation Entertainment lawsuit was filed in the Arkansas Eastern District Court on Nov. 8th alleging Issue 2 is unconstitutional in revoking the Pope County casino license, which the Cherokee claim was lawfully issued in good faith under Amendment 100 passed by voters in 2018.

On Wednesday the federal judge for this case denied a request from Cherokee Nation Entertainment for a temporary restraining order to retain the Pope County casino license.

Some experts believe there may be years of additional litigation ahead before this matter of the casino license is finally settled by the courts.

Issue 2 was approved by statewide voters, although 56% of Pope County voters want the casino and voted NO to save it.

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Election Day | Pope County Casino Blocked by Issue No. 2 Approval

November 5, 2024

Arkansas voters approved Issue No. 2 tonight. The ballot measure voids the Pope County casino license issued by the Arkansas Racing Commission to the Cherokee Nation on June 27, 2024. The voter approval stops the $300 million construction plan of the Legends Resort Casino Arkansas in Russellville, AR.

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Arkansans approve Issue 2 | What this means for casino licenses - Courtesy of THV11, Nov 6, 2024. Available from YouTube

Issue No. 2 also changes the rules for authorizing new casinos in Arkansas. The state constitution will be amended to require county elections for local voter approval before issuing future casino licenses.

Pope County will now have to restart its casino selection process using the new voter approval requirement.

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Pope County Casino | Arkansas Supreme Court certifies casino measure for Nov. ballot

October 17, 2024

The Arkansas Supreme Court ruled today against the second part of a legal challenge to disqualify Issue 2, as a casino measure on the Nov. 5th ballot. Issue 2 would repeal the Pope County casino license issued in June to the Cherokee Nation and require countywide special elections for future casinos.

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Arkansas Supreme Court denies second part of attempt to block casino amendment vote - Courtesy of KARK 4 News, Oct 17, 2024. Available from YouTube

The Supreme Court found the popular name and ballot title were sufficient for the ballot. On Monday the court found the signature collection process was proper. Thus, all claims have been rejected, and the legal challenge to the Issue 2 ballot measure is defeated.

Early voting in Arkansas starts Monday.

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Pope County Casino | Arkansas Supreme Court upholds ballot measure

October 15, 2024

Arkansas Issue 2, a ballot measure to repeal the casino license issued to Cherokee Nation Entertainment for a Pope County casino, took a major step forward today when the Arkansas Supreme Court rejected an effort by Cherokee to block vote counting on Issue 2 due to violations during the signature-gathering procedures.

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Arkansas Supreme Court rejects challenge to casino ballot measure - Courtesy of 5NEWS, Oct 15, 2024. Available from YouTube

The Cherokee claimed the canvassers were paid per the number of signatures collected. The court determined the Cherokee did not present enough evidence and dismissed the signature-gathering claim.

A second argument against Issue 2 remains undecided. The Arkansas Supreme Court did not rule on whether the ballot title and popular name is misleading; however, the court promised to release its decision very soon.

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Arkansas Poll: 30% undecided on Pope County anti-casino measure

September 20, 2024

A new poll was published this week showing voter preferences regarding the Pope County anti-casino petition that may appear as a measure on the November ballot. The measure would void the Pope County casino license and mandate local voter approval before issuing new casino licenses.

Here are the results of the poll taken by Talk Business and Politics-Hendrix College:

• 42 percent - YES

• 28 percent - NO

• 30 percent - UNDECIDED

The poll surveyed 696 likely Arkansas voters on September 5th and 6th. The results have a margin of error of +/- 4.6%.

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Cherokee Nation (CNE) sues to block anti-casino ballot amendment

August 5, 2024

One day after Arkansas officials approved an anti-casino ballot measure for this November, Cherokee Nation Entertainment filed a lawsuit to block it. If passed by voters, the ballot measure would void the Pope County casino license awarded to the Cherokee, and also mandate voter approval before any new casino license can be issued.

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Cherokee Nation and Arkansas group sue to block casino ballot amendment - Courtesy of KATVchannel7, Aug 1, 2024. Available from YouTube

The ballot measure was filed by Local Voters in Charge, an advocacy group backed by the Choctaw Nation. In the lawsuit, the Cherokee Nation claims the signature drive violated state law and canvassers lied or mislead people to gather signatures.

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Pope County Casino | New Lawsuit Filed

July 8, 2024

Thought it was over? Uh-uh. Five days after the Pope County casino license was awarded to Cherokee Nation Entertainment (CNE), the rival applicant, Gulfside Casino Partnership, filed a lawsuit against CNE, citing "coercion and illegal use of practices" in acquiring the casino license. The lawsuit also names the Pope County Quorum Court, all members of the Quorum Court, Pope County Judge Ben Cross, and the Arkansas Racing Commission as defendants.

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New Pope County Casino license lawsuit - Courtesy of THV11, Jul 3, 2024. Available from YouTube

The Pope County licensing process contains an "Economic Development Agreement" (EDA), which requires the casino developer to pay an "economic development fee" to the county. Gulfside Casino claims this agreement "requires the county judge and quorum court to provide letters of support solely to Cherokee Nation Businesses", which violates public policy and must be invalidated.

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Legends Resort & Casino Arkansas awarded Pope County casino license

June 28, 2024

The Arkansas Racing Commission voted unanimously yesterday to award the Pope County casino license to Cherokee Nation Entertainment (CNE) for its proposed $300 million Legends Resort & Casino Arkansas.

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Pope County casino license gets awarded - Courtesy of THV11, Jun 27, 2024. Available from YouTube

Legends Resort & Casino Arkansas be built on the northeast side of Russelville on a 325-acre site north of Interstate 40 between the Weir Road west exit and Bradley Cove east exit.

Cherokee Nation Entertainment (CNE) submitted its casino license application to the Arkansas Racing Commission on June 4, 2024. The document contains the following key information about the casino plans:

Legends Resort & Casino Arkansas

Scope:

The minimum project investment is $300 million.
Construction timeline is 18 months.
Construction phases will be 1.

Casino

Gaming Floor 50,000 sq-ft
Slot Machines 1,200
Table Games 32
Sportsbook

Hotel Rooms 200

Other:

Outdoor music venue - 5,000 capacity
Water park
RV and a dog park

Permanent Jobs 1,000

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Pope County Casino | Cherokee Nation Application Accepted, Gulfside Rejected

June 13, 2024

The Arkansas Racing Commission rejected an application Wednesday for the Pope County casino license submitted by Gulfside Casino Partnership. Gulfside had proposed building a $405 million casino hotel in Russellville, named River Valley Casino Resort.

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Arkansas Racing Commission rejects Gulfside Casino Partnership application - Courtesy of KATVchannel7, Jun 12, 2024. Available from YouTube

The commission's decision was based on the Gulfside application not having a required letter of support from the local government. Gulfside sought a letter of support from the Pope County Quorum Court last week, but the court denied the request.

"You have to have a letter of support from the local governing body, either the quorum court or the county judge. If you don't have that letter of support, it is simply not considered a qualified application. That is what we saw here. Gulfside did not have that letter of support."

- Scott Hardin, Arkansas Racing Commission

Cherokee Nation Entertainment also submitted an application for the Pope County casino license. That application included the required letter of support and was accepted by the commission. A thorough review will now commence to ensure the information is complete and acceptable. The Commission has 30 business days to approve and issue the license.

There was a third application submitted before the June 11th deadline. The applicant was Churchill Downs, which submitted a letter expressing interest, but did not include the required letter of support.

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Pope County Casino Application Deadline is Today! June 11, 2024

June 11, 2024

Today is the deadline for submitting applications for the Pope County casino license. The Arkansas Racing Commission will meet tomorrow to formally end the submission process and to begin the evaluation process. The commission will have 30 days to select an applicant and issue the license.

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Pope County Casino filing deadline approaching - Courtesy of THV11, Jun 11, 2024. Available from YouTube

Pope County Quorum Court hears pitches for casino license - Courtesy of THV11, Jun 6, 2024. Available from YouTube

Applications require a letter of support from the county judge or a resolution from the quorum court. The quorum court met last Thursday to consider support for the River Valley Casino Resort project, which was presented by Gulfside Casino Partnership.

The Gulfside support resolution was rejected by the quorum court in a 7-5 vote. This is a fatal blow to the Gulfside casino plan because it also does not have support from the county judge.

Cherokee Nation Entertainment (CNE) appears to be the leading candidate for the casino. The CNE application for the Legends Resort & Casino Arkansas was submitted June 5, 2024 with a resolution of support from the quorum court issued in December and support by Pope County Judge Ben Cross.

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Pope County Casino | New Legends Casino Application

June 6, 2024

Cherokee Nation Entertainment (CNE) submitted a new casino application to the Arkansas Racing Commission yesterday along with a plan to build a $300 million entertainment destination named "Legends Resort & Casino Arkansas". If approved, the casino resort will be built on a 325-acre site northwest of Russellville in Pope County, AR.

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Cherokee Nation Entertainment submits application for Pope County casino gaming license - Courtesy of KATVchannel7, Jun 5, 2024. Available from YouTube

The president of Cherokee Nation Entertainment made this statement:

"Our development is easily a year ahead of any other newly proposed casino project. Once the casino license is awarded, we expect to commence the 18-month construction process after 60 to 90 days of permitting and pre-construction work."

- Mark Fulton, President CNE

LEGENDS CASINO PLAN
The new plan submitted for the Legends Resort & Casino Arkansas has the following features:

Casino
The casino will be 50,000-square-feet with 1,200 slot machines, 32 table games, a poker room and a sportsbook.

Hotel
The hotel will hav 200 guest rooms and suites, a resort pool and luxury spa.

Restaurants
Restaurants include a steakhouse, casual restaurant, grab-and-go, and more venues to be announced later.

Entertainment Center
This multipurpose center will host concerts, special events, meetings and conferences.

Outdoor Venues
Legends plans an outdoor music venue and a water park.

RV Park
The RV park will include a dog park.

NEXT STEP
The deadline for submitting applications for the sole Polk County casino license is next week on June 11th. The only casino application submitted so far is for Legends Resort & Casino Arkansa. A competing application for the River Valley Casino Resort is expected to be submitted before the deadline. There are no other potential applicants. The Arkansas Racing Commission is expected to make its selection for the Pope County casino license around mid-July.

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Pope County Casino | New River Valley Casino Application

May 30, 2024

Gulfside Casino Partnership announced a new $405 million River Valley Casino Resort proposal yesterday for Russellville. Pope County, Arkansas. Gulfside will submit the plan in an application to the Arkansas Racing Commission before the June 11th deadline.

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Gulfside Casino Partnership presents plan to build $405 million casino in Pope County - Courtesy of THV11, May 29, 2024. Available from YouTube

The presentation included the following information from Gulfside Casino Partnership:

"The unveiling of this visionary project marks a pivotal moment for Pope County and the Arkansas River Valley. Our proposed River Valley Casino Resort will redefine regional tourism with 70,000 square feet of unparalleled gaming space, 1,500 state-of-the-art slot machines, 50 table games and a dedicated sportsbook, among other world-class amenities. This high-end destination will drive economic development in the region and be an employer of choice, fostering a thriving community for generations to come."

- Terry Green, Gulfside Co-owner

Gulfside will present its proposal to the Pope County Quorum Court next week on June 6th, and then submit their official application for the Pope County casino license to the Arkansas Racing Commission,

After the June 11th deadline for application submissions, the Arkansas Racing Commission will review all the casino applications and select a winning proposal in about 30 days.

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Pope County Casino License Applications Begin Today | May 13, 2024

May 13, 2024

A new 30-day application window opens today for the Pope County casino license. Casino developers must submit their applications in both digital and paper formats to the Arkansas Racing Commission by the deadline of June 11th. The commission will then have 30 days to award the casino license for Pope County. The announcement of the winning casino applicant is expected sometime in mid-July 2024.

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Arkansas Racing Commission approves new application period for Pope County casino license - Courtesy of THV11, May 6, 2024. Available from YouTube

This 2024 Pope County casino license will be the third license issued to the county over the last four years. The first license was issued to Gulfside Casino Partnership in June 2020 to build a $254M casino resort, named River Valley Casino Resort, in Russellville, Arkansas. The casino license was voided by the Arkansas Supreme Court in October 2021.

The second Pope County casino license was issued to the Cherokee Nation in partnership with Legends Resort and Casino in December 2021. That casino license was invalidated by the Arkansas Supreme Court in October 2023

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Pope County New Casino Applications | April 2024 Update

April 1, 2024

Arkansas will try again to license a casino in Pope County. Courts revoked the previous casino license awarded to Legends Resort and Casino and Cherokee Nation Businesses after declaring the selection process was invalid.

Last month, the Arkansas Racing Commission approved a set of rules to establish a new 30-day application period for submission of casino proposals for the Pope County casino license. The application process could start as early as May if approved by the state legislature.

The Legislature is expected to review and vote on the new rules this month. If approved, they would become effective ten days after the Legislature files the rules with the Secretary of State.

The Arkansas Racing Commission is then expected to announce a 30-day window for submission of applications, along with its ratings criteria for evaluating each application. The process is expected to run through the summer.

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Arkansas Racing Commission delays new Pope County casino applications

January 28, 2024

The Arkansas Racing Commission met Wednesday for the first time since the Arkansas Supreme Court nullified the Pope County casino license awarded to Legends Resort and Casino and Cherokee Nation Businesses.

Instead of voting to initiate a new bidding process for the Pope County license, the commission decided to study a new set of rule changes designed to mitigate lawsuits against the commission. This move will likely delay the licensing process by several months.

The Arkansas Racing Commission will be awarding a casino license to a Pope County applicant for the third time. The first license went to Gulfside Casino Partnership. The second went to Cherokee Nation Businesses and Legends Resort & Casino. Both licenses were revoked by Arkansas courts.

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Arkansas Supreme Court Rejects Pope County Casino License Appeal

January 19, 2024

The Arkansas Supreme Court has rejected an appeal by Legends Resort and Casino and Cherokee Nation Businesses to rehear a recent court ruling that invalidated the casino license issued for Pope County. The license was returned to the Arkansas Racing Commission to reinitiate the application process.

The appeal was based on a decision last year by Pulaski County Circuit Judge Tim Fox, which declared the Racing Commission was wrong to award the Pope County casino license to two entities (Legends Resort and Casino and Cherokee Nation Businesses). Judge Fox ruled that only one entity can hold a casino license according to Amendment 100 to the Arkansas Constitution. That decision was upheld by the Arkansas Supreme Court last October.

The next step is for the Arkansas Racing Commission to open a brand-new bidding process for the Pope County casino license.

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Pope County Casino Update

December 18, 2023

The Pope County casino has been on hold for the past five years, and following last month's ruling by the Arkansas Supreme Court, the Pope County casino selection process has returned to the starting line.

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From Bet to Bust: Long-promised Pope County casino still not in the cards - Courtesy of FOX 16 KLRT, Dec 14, 2023. Available from YouTube

Last week the Pope County Quorum Court voted 7-6 to support the Cherokee Nation Business plan to build a $225 million casino resort in Russellville. The casino is to be named Legends Resort Casino and will include a casino with with 1,200 slots and 21 table games, a concert venue, an outdoor water park, a 200-room hotel, a 15,000-sq-ft conference center, and 100-spaces RV park.

The casino application and selection process must now be started over again from the beginning to fully comply with the provisions of Amendment 100 passed by voters in 2018. Preparations by state officials are underway to establish the process and determine the timelines.

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Arkansas Supreme Court reopens Pope County casino license process

November 1, 2023

The Arkansas Supreme Court ruled last Thursday that Cherokee Nation Businesses was not a qualified applicant when granted the casino license for Pope County. The casino application process was invalid and must now be restarted from the beginning.

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Arkansas casino license back up for grabs - Courtesy of THV11, Oct 26, 2023. Available from YouTube

The ruling affirms a lower court ruling last Jan. 12 by Pulaski County Circuit Court Judge Tim Fox, who sided with Gulfside Casino Partnership, the plaintiff, against the Arkansas Racing Commission licensing of Cherokee Nation Businesses (CNB) and its Legends Resort and Casino plan.

The Arkansas Supreme Court released this statement:

"The ARC issued the Pope County casino license to both Legends and CNB. Yet at the time of this issuance, CNB had no application pending with the ARC. As stated, five applications were submitted during the May 2019 application period, but all five were rejected for failure to meet the requirements of amendment 100. Since then, the ARC did not reopen another application period during which it considered new applications. As CNB's only application before the ARC was submitted in May 2019 and was ultimately rejected, it was not a "qualified applicant" as required by amendment 100. So, the ARC acted ultra vires in issuing the license to CNB. We affirm the circuit court's decision on this point."

- Associate Justice Cody Hiland - AR Supreme Court

The Regulatory Division of the Department of Finance and Administration is now reviewing the court ruling and will be working with the Arkansas Racing Commission to restart the application process and open a new application window.

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Pope County Casino: Where did it go?

May 19, 2023

It has been nearly five years since Pope County was selected for one of four casino licenses authorized by the 2018 voter approval of Amendment 100. So far, nothing seems to have happened. A fight between two applicants for the casino is tied up in the Arkansas Supreme Court.

Legends Resort & Casino Arkansas is fighting to keep the casino license awarded to it by the Arkansas Racing Commission in 2021, and Gulfside Casino Partnership is fighting to regain the license from Legends after losing it over a documentation dispute.

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The development of Pope County casino | Here's what to know - Courtesy of THV11, May 9, 2023. Available from YouTube

A decision by the Arkansas Supreme Court is expected by end of summer, but could come at any time.

"At any moment, it could come down. We don't have the crystal ball to say or have any affirmative dates or anything, but we're hopeful that the case that's been breached will be ruled on, you know, before the end of summer, early fall."

- Mark Fulton, Cherokee Nation Entertainment

Cherokee Nation Entertainment is a partner in the Legends Resort Casino project. The casino is planned for a site off Hob Nob Road just north of Russellville. The casino will features 1,200 slot machines, 32 table games, a sportsbook, restaurants, a 13-story hotel, conference rooms, an outdoor amphitheater, and a family water park.

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Cherokee Nation Appeals after Judge Voids Pope County Casino License

January 16, 2023

A Pulaski County Circuit Judge ruled this week that the Arkansas Racing Commission's decision to issue a casino license to the Cherokee Nation in partnership with Legends Resort and Casino was unconstitutional, and thereby void.

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Judge voids Cherokee Nation's Pope County casino license
Courtesy of 5NEWS, Jan 13 2023. Available from YouTube

The lawsuit against Legends was brought by the Gulfside Casino Partnership, which was an original applicant for the license. Gulfside has been fighting for four years to build a $254M casino resort in Russellville named the River Valley Casino Resort.

The judge ruled the Legends license was void because Legends had no prior casino gaming experience as required Amendment 100, Section 4.

"Amendment 100 allows only for a single applicant for a casino license, and the Racing Commission acted ultra vires, in violation of Amendment 100, in issuing a casino license jointly to CNB when it had not submitted a casino license application."

- Judge Tim Fox

The Cherokee Nation has immediately appealed the decision to the Arkansas Supreme Court.

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Pope County Arkansas Casino Status Dec. 2022

December 21, 2022

Construction of the proposed Legends Resort Casino Arkansas in Russellville, Arkansas remains on hold pending the outcome of two legal challenges. Both challenges lost their initial court decisions.

One legal challenge to building the Pope County casino was dismissed last week by an Arkansas circuit judge. The group Citizens for a Better Pope County had filed suit against the Arkansas Racing Commission for awarding a casino license to Cherokee Nations Businesses.

Judge Griffen dismissed the case for the following reasons:

• The plaintiffs had no standing because they could show no injury or threatened injury.

• The claims are moot.

• The state cannot be sued.

• The plaintiffs failed to include all necessary parties.

- Circuit Court of Pulaski County, AR

Citizens for a Better Pope County is considering an appeal.

A second lawuit filed by Gulfside Casino Partnership is scheduled for a hearing before Pulaski County Circuit Judge Tim Fox on Jan. 3. Gulfside was initially selected for the casino license but was later rejected by the Arkansas Supreme Court

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Arkansas Secretary of State rejects ballot petition to block Pope County casino

August 14, 2022

The Arkansas Secretary of State has blocked a proposed November ballot measure to stop block Cherokee Nation Businesses from building the Legends Resort & Casino in Pope County.

The group Fair Play for Arkansas had submitted a ballot petition to the Secretary's Office in July that sought to remove Pope County from the casinos authorized in the 2018 casino measure.

The petition was rejected by the Secretary for lacking enough register voter signatures to qualify for the ballot. The petition was also found to be misleading in its text, and for not referencing the existing casino license issued to Cherokee Nation Businesses.

Fair Play for Arkansas plans to file an appeal with the Arkansas Supreme Court.

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Legends Resort Casino plan approved by Russellville Planning Commission

July 15, 2022

With ongoing litigation over the rightful Pope County casino licensee applicant, and a week after Fair Play for Arkansas filed a ballot petition with the Secretary of State to remove Pope County from the list of authorized casino locations, the Russellville Planning Commission voted unanimously to approve the development plan for Legends Resort and Casino.

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Legends Casino gains approval in Pope County - Courtesy of KARK 4 News, Jul 13, 2022. Available from YouTube

Approval by the Russellville Planning Commission is a greenlight for Legends Casino to move forward with permits and approvals required for construction. The start of construction is subject to the successful resolution of litigations and the final outcome of the Fair Play ballot petition.

The sole Pope County casino license was issued to Legends Resort & Casino Arkansas in December 2021. Since that time Legends has acquired a 140-acre parcel of land as the building site for the casino complex.

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Choctaw Nation joins opposition to Cherokee Nation casino in Russellville

February 21, 2022

The Choctaw Nation has joined the opposition to the Cherokee Nation's plan to build a commercial casino in Pope County, Arkansas. Last week the state Ethics Commission reported the Choctaw Nation donated $125,000 to Fair Play Arkansas, an anti-casino group in Pope County. The group is seeking signatures for a new constitutional amendment to remove Pope County from gambling.

Last year the Choctaw Nation was unsuccessful in bidding for the sole casino license allocated to Pope County. The Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma was the final winner of the competition and received a state license in December 2021 to build the Legends Resort & Casino Arkansas in Russellville, Arkansas.

The Choctaw Nation owns Choctaw Casino & Resort in Pocola, Oklahoma near Fort Smith, Arkansas. The distance is less than 100 miles from Russellville, AR.

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Legends Resort & Casino Remains on Hold

January 12, 2022

The Pope County casino project is still on hold. Construction is not expected to begin until the remaining legal challenges are resolved. The CEO of Cherokee Nation Businesses (CNB) said last week:

"Our legal team is working to quickly dismiss all pending litigation. It is important to note that many aspects of timing are out of our hands and ultimately controlled by the courts. We remain hopeful that all will be resolved in the coming weeks and months so that we can break ground on Legends Resort & Casino as soon as possible."

- Chuck Garrett, CNB CEO

CNB is also waiting for an updated environmental traffic study before completing the purchase of the casino property which has been held in option since 2019.

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Cherokee casino proposal wins Pope County license

November 14, 2021

The Arkansas Racing Commission voted 3-2 Friday to award the Pope County casino license to Cherokee Nations Businesses. The Cherokee will build Legends Resort & Casino Arkansas north of Interstate 40 on Nob Hill Road in Russellville, Arkansas.

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Racing commission votes to grant Pope County casino license to Cherokee Nation Businesses - Courtesy of KARK 4 News, Nov 12, 2021. Available from YouTube

The Legends Resort & Casino Arkansas project will be built in three phases. Phase 1 will construct a 50,000-square-foot casino with 1,200 slot machines, 21 table games and a sportsbook. The second phase will build a hotel with 200 guest rooms, a spa and a pool. The final phase will add a conference center, concert venue, outdoor waterpark and a RV park.

The Pope County casino licensing comes a month after the Arkansas Supreme Court ruled against the commission's previous decision to award the license to Gulfside Casino Partnership.

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Cherokee Nation's application for Pope County casino is back into play after high court ruling

February 9, 2021

Last June the Arkansas Racing Commission awarded the sole casino license for Pope County to Gulfside Casino Partnership of Mississippi. The selection was opposed by the Cherokee Nation Businesses, which promptly appealed the decision. The Cherokee had proposed a casino and hotel in Russellville to be named Legends Resort & Casino Arkansas.

This week the Arkansas Supreme Court put the Pope County casino license issue back into play by agreeing with a Cherokee Nation lawsuit against the Arkansas Racing Commission's selection of Gulfside Casino and sending the case back to a lower court.

The Arkansas Supreme Court released this statement of opinion:

"This case is part of ongoing litigation for the sole casino license available in Pope County. The narrow question before us is whether the circuit court erred in refusing to allow Cherokee Nation Businesses LLC, to intervene in litigation brought by Gulfside Casino Partnership against the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration and the Arkansas Racing Commission. We conclude that Cherokee was entitled to intervention as a matter of right and therefore reverse and remand the circuit court's decision.

[...]

"We conclude that Cherokee has a 'recognized interest' in the litigation based on its interest in the license, having its license application considered, and its contract with Pope County."

- Shawn A. Womack, Associate Justice

The legal counsel for Cherokee Nation Businesses responded with this statement:

"This means that, for now, the state statute and Arkansas Racing Commission rule that both expressly disqualify Gulfside as an applicant are back in effect.

"Thanks to today's ruling, the Arkansas Supreme Court will have the opportunity to hear that question. We will consider next steps in the other pending cases, but it would not make sense to litigate a temporary casino nor any of the Commission's past decisions so long as Gulfside is legally barred from filing an application in the first place."

- Dustin McDaniel, Legal Counsel

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Arkansas Supreme Court: "Cherokee Nation is qualified applicant for Pope County casino"

July 22, 2020

The Arkansas Supreme Court overturned the ruling of Pulaski County Circuit Judge Tim Fox that the Cherokee Business Nation was not a qualified applicant for the Pope County casino license. This reversal should require another review of the Pope County casino applicants by the Arkansas Racing Commission (ARC).

The Cherokee Nation applied for the Pope County casino in partnership with Legends, a hospitality and stadium-management company. The partnership, named Legends Resort & Casino Arkansas, proposed a casino complex in Russellville, AR.

Judge Fox's rejected Legends Resort & Casino as a qualified applicant for "having no experience at operating a casino anywhere in the country ". The Cherokee Nation operates nine casinos in Oklahoma and has decades of casino experience. The Supreme Court agreed with the Cherokee saying "Legends is indeed a casino applicant as defined by the Arkansas Constitution amendment that voters passed during a 2018 ballot referendum."

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Arkansas' Pope County casino selection is pending

April 25, 2020

The final selection of a casino applicant to build a casino in Pope County is in its last phase. The Arkansas Racing Commission will decide sometime after July 1 whether to license the Legends Resort & Casino Arkansas proposed by the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma in partnership with Legends, a hospitality and stadium-management company, or the River Valley Casino Resort proposed by Gulfside Casino Partners, a Mississippi casino group.

Legends Resort & Casino Arkansas
This $225 million resort and casino would be built on 135 acres north of Interstate 40 on Nob Hill Road and feature a 50,000-sq-ft gaming floor, 1,200 slots, 21 table games, a 2-room hotel, conference center, concert venue, waterpark and RV park.

River Valley Casino Resort Proposal
This $254 million casino resort would be built in Russellville and feature a 100,000 square-foot gaming floor, 2,100 slot machines, 100 table games and a 600-room hotel.

Last August the Cherokee Nation's Legends Casino application was selected by the Arkansas Racing Commission (ARC) over four other applicants including Gulfside. This prompted Gulfside to file a lawsuit against the ARC claiming it was the "only applicant for Pope County that timely complied with every requirement of Amendment 100."

On March 24 a Pulaski County circuit judge ruled the Gulfside application was improperly rejected and must be reconsidered by the ARC "on its merits".

In an ARC meeting following the court decision, the commission voted unanimously to accept both the Cherokee Nation application and the Gulfside application. The commission then contracted Jim Fox, a gambling consultant, to review the applications and make a recommendation on them before June 30.

The ARC is expected to meet in early July to review the evaluation report of the contractor and make a final selection for the Pope County casino.

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Cherokee Nation study shows $3B economic impact from proposed Arkansas casino

February 21, 2020

This week Cherokee Nation Businesses released a study on the potential economic impact on Pope County and Northwest Arkansas by the tribe's proposed Legends Resort and Casino Arkansas in Russellville, AR.

The study by the Economic Impact Group (EIG) predicts the economic impact on that area will be $3.15 billion over 10 years.

ECONOMIC IMPACT FINDINGS OVER FIRST 10 YEARS

• Direct employment of 1000 jobs

• Jobs Supported 1750+ - 21000+ jobs

• Employee Income $43.3 - $530 MM

• Vendor Purchases from businesses $22.4 - $296 MM

• $2 - $18.9 MM to Pope County Community Development Grant

• $4.3 - $52.3 MM Taxes paid to Pope County

• $100 - $945 K to Russellville Economic Development Alliance

Source: Legends Resort & Casino

In a news release, Chuck Garrett, CEO of Cherokee Nation Businesses, said: "In forming our plans for Legends Resort & Casino, we turned to a network of experts to help us understand how this project would impact the region's economy. It was fitting for us to engage this research through Dr. Russell Evans and EIG who are already very familiar with current CNB (Cherokee Nation Businesses) operations."

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Choctaw Nation files for Arkansas casino

November 23, 2019

The Choctaw Nation submitted an application with the Arkansas Racing Commission for a license to build a commercial casino in Pope County. The submission was just hours before the 4:30PM final deadline for all applications, and three days after the Cherokee Nation amended its application

Pope County officials have endorsed the Cherokee Nation application. Under Arkansas Amendment 100, all applications for a new casino must include an endorsement of support from county officials.

The Choctaw application did not include documentation of local support. When asked why, Janie Dillard, a senior executive officer for the Choctaw Nation, replied in a written statement:

"The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma has consistently advocated for a fair, open and transparent process. We hope that the state will take action to allow all proposals to receive fair consideration."

An additional explanation with more information should be expected soon.

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Cherokee Nation's casino proposal is rejected by Russellville City Council

UPDATE Nov. 21, 2019

The Russellville City Council approved a resolution endorsing the casino proposal submitted by Cherokee Nation Businesses.

October 11, 2019

The Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma is partnering with Legends, a hospitality company founded by Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, has proposed building a $225 million casino named Legends Resort & Casino Arkansas in Russellville, Arkansas.

Last August the Legends proposal was selected by a local judge and quorum court over four other casino candidates for licensing by the Arkansas Racing Commission.

Last week the Russellville City Council announced it had received four casino applications prior to its deadline. The Council said it has rejected the Legends casino proposal on the basis of an incomplete application. The office of Mayor Richard Harris explained that a consent and release form required in the application was not signed.

Cherokee Nation Businesses CEO Chuck Garrett responded with a different perspective. He said they have not actually applied for review by city officials and the Community Gaming Evaluation Committee. Rather, the company delivered a project overview to county and city officials, including the Russellville City Council, in an effort to "keep the community and elected officials informed."

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Cherokee Nation selected for Pope County casino

August 11, 2019

The Cherokee Nation's casino application to build a casino in Russellville has been selected by a local judge and quorum court over four other candidates for Pope County's sole casino endorsement submitted to the Arkansas Racing Commission.

Cherokee Nation Businesses, the casino management company of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, is partnering with Legends, a hospitality company founded by Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and the late New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner.

The letter of support was issued by Pope County Judge Ben Cross and the local Quorum Court. It is required at the time a casino license application is submitted to the Arkansas Racing Commission.

Five applications were previously submitted to the Arkansas Racing Commission for the sole casino license to be issued in Pope County. All five were rejected by for lacking a letter of support from local officials. The deadline was extended for applicants to work with the Pope County judge and the Quorum Court for endorsement.

The four casino proposals that were passed came from the Choctaw Nation, Gulfside Casino Partners, Hard Rock International & Warner Gaming partnership, and Robert and Ruth Kehl.

Hard Rock's reaction to losing the endorsement was stated in a letter released immediately afterwards:

"Remarkably, we were asked if we could submit our final offer after we were informed that a different operator will be selected. This clearly is not what we expected when we started this process."

"We have continually asked for a fair, open and transparent process and all of the applicants who have spent a significant amount of time and money deserve this, More importantly, the public deserves this."

The Cherokee Nation owns nine casinos in Oklahoma:

Cherokee Casino Fort Gibson
Cherokee Casino Grove
Cherokee Casino Roland
Cherokee Casino Sallisaw
Cherokee Casino South Coffeyville
Cherokee Casino Tahlequah
Cherokee Casino Ramona
Cherokee Casino West Siloam Springs
Hard Rock Casino Tulsa

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