River Valley Casino Resort | Updates 2023

RIVER VALLEY CASINO RESORT

Russellville, Pope County, Arkansas

Gulfside Casino Partners have been locked in a four-year legal battle to acquire the sole casino license for Pope County, Arkansas. The company wants to build a $254 casino in Russellville named the River Valley Casino Resort.

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River Valley Casino Resort

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 new casino will be named River Valley Casino Resort and feature 2,100 slot machines, 100 table games and 600 hotel rooms.

A temporary casino, the River Valley Casino Annex, is planned to open in 2021 while a permanent casino is under construction. The final casino will open in 2022 followed later by construction of the hotel.

News Headlines

Cherokee Nation Appeals after Judge Voids Pope County Casino License January 16, 2023 - A Pulaski County Circuit Judge ruled this week that the casino license issued to Legends Casino in Pope County is unconstitutional and void. ... Read more Cherokee Nation wins Pope County casino case in Arkansas Supreme Court October 24, 2021 - The Arkansas Supreme Court sided with the Cherokee Nation in a dispute over the sole casino license in Pope County. The court overturned an earlier approval for Gulfside ... Read more Arkansas's Pope County casino license case is headed to Supreme Court June 3, 20211 - For the second time a Pulaski County circuit judge ruled in favor of the Arkansas Racing Commission's decision on June 18, 2020 to award the sole Pope County casino license ... Read more Cherokee sue to reverse Pope County casino decision March 13, 2021 - Cherokee Nation Businesses (CBN) have filed another lawsuit to reverse the decision of the Arkansas Racing Commission (ARC) that granted the sole Pope County casino license to Gulfside Partners ... Read more Cherokee Nation's application for Pope County casino is back into play after high court ruling February 9, 2021 - 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 ... Read more Headlines continued...

Gaming

River Valley Casino will be built in 3 construction phases.

Phase 1 will open a temporary casino annex in 2021 featuring the following:

30,000 square-foot building
500 slot machines
8 table games

Phase 2 will open a permanent casino in 2022 featuring the following:

100,000 square-foot casino floor
2,100 slot machines
100 table games

Phase 3 will add a 600-room hotel.

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River Valley Annex - Temporary Casino

October 11, 2020

River Valley Casino Resort was licensed on July 31, 2020 and is currently seeking additional approval to build a temporary casino to open in 2021 and operate during the construction period of the final facilities.

The temporary casino will be known as the River Valley Annex and will be built on Bradley Cove Road just outside the Russellville city limits.

The Annex will be 30,000 square feet and feature 500 slot machines, 8 table games and a restaurant. After the permanent casino opens in 2022, the Annex may become a convention center.

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Restaurants

Restaurants and bars at River Valley Casino Resort will be built in the first 2 construction phases. The following restaurants will be included in Phase 1:

Buffet, steakhouse, 24/7 cafe, coffee and pastry shop, casino lounge, casino show bar

When the first 2 phases are finished, River Valley Casino will offer:

Buffet, steakhouse, 24/7 cafe, coffee and pastry shop, casino lounge, casino show bar, seafood restaurant, sports bar

Hotel

The hotel at River Valley Casino Resort will be built and expanded in each of the 3 construction phases. When Phase 1 is completed the hotel will have 300 guest rooms including 40 suites, a pool and a pool bar.

When all phases of construction have been completed, there will be 600 guest rooms, pool, fitness center,spa, meeting space

Website

News Articles

Cherokee Nation loses appeal of Pope County casino license

August 4, 2020

The Arkansas Racing Commission met last Thursday to discuss the appeal by Cherokee Nation Businesses of the Pope County casino license awarded to Gulfside Casino Partners in a June vote. A commissioner who voted in June was found to have bias prompting the Cherokee Nation to appeal the decision.

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Arkansas Racing Commission decides Pope Co. casino license for Gulfside still stands - Courtesy of FOX 16 KLRT, July 30, 2020. Available from YouTube

An outside consultant was hired to review and analyze the casino applications of both parties, the Cherokee Nation Businesses and the Gulfside Casino Partners. The consultant's report showed the Cherokee Nation's proposal was better.

However, at the end of the 3-hour hearing the commissioners voted 3-2 to stay with their June decision. Gulfside Partners will be awarded the Pope County license to build their proposed $254M "River Valley Casino Resort" in Russellville, Arkansas.

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Gulfside beats out Cherokee for Pope County casino license

June 22, 2020

The Arkansas Racing Commission will award the sole casino license for Pope County to Gulfside Casino Partnership from Mississippi, which proposes building a casino and hotel named River Valley Casino Resort in Russellville, Arkansas.

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Racing Commission gives top score to Gulfside Casino Partnership on Pope Co. casino proposal - Courtesy of FOX 16 KLRT, Jun 18, 2020. Available from YouTube

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New "River Valley Casino Resort" is Proposed for Pope County

December 28, 2018

A Mississippi casino group, Gulfside Casino Partners, is proposing to build a $254M casino resort in Russellville, Pope County, Arkansas. The opening date could be Fall 2020.

The group will submit a casino application to the Arkansas Racing Commission when the commission has finalized its rules and procedures.

If approved, River Valley Casino Resort will be built in these 3 phases:

PHASE 1   $148 Million (opens Fall 2020)

PHASE 2   $52 million

PHASE 3   $54 million

News Headlines Continued

2020

River Valley plans temporary casino October 11, 2020 - River Valley Casino Resort was licensed on July 31, 2020 and is currently seeking additional approval to build a temporary casino to operate 500 slot machines and 8 table games while construction proceeds on ... Read more Cherokee Nation loses appeal of Pope County casino license August 4, 2020 - The Arkansas Racing Commission met last Thursday to discuss the appeal by Cherokee Nation Businesses for the Pope County casino license awarded to Gulfside in June. ... Read more Gulfside beats out Cherokee for Pope County casino license June 22, 2020 - The Arkansas Racing Commission will award the sole casino license for Pope County to Gulfside Casino Partnership to build River Valley Casino Resort in Russellville, AR. ... Read more 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 1st whether to license the Legends Resort ... Read more

2018

"River Valley Casino Resort" is Proposed for Pope County December 28, 2018 - This casino proposal would be built in 3 phases and features 2,100 slot machines, 100 table games and 600 hotel rooms. Opening date is late fall 2020. ... Read more

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