Posted on: October 24, 2024, 01:29h.
Last updated on: October 24, 2024, 01:38h.
The Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, the tribe that’s seeking to build a commercial casino resort in Arkansas by way of Russellville, is asking Razorback State voters to cast their ballots against Issue 2.
Early voting in Arkansas began on Monday. Along with determining whether Kamala Harris or Donald Trump secures the state’s six Electoral College votes — Trump is the heavy favorite, as Arkansas hasn’t gone for a Democratic presidential candidate since voters went with their native son Bill Clinton in 1996 — Arkansans will decide if a casino license earmarked for Pope County remains valid.
Issue 2 is a referendum that asks state voters to amend the Arkansas Constitution to reduce the number of casino licenses from four to three by rescinding the permit for Pope County.
A vote ‘FOR’ Issue 2 would support amending the Arkansas Constitution to require local voter approval in a countywide election for new casino licenses. It would also support the repeal of the casino license awarded to Pope County,” Amendment 2 reads.
Polling on the question has been minimal, and many voters are presumed to be undecided despite early voting underway and Election Day just 11 days out.
Referendum Consequence
In 2018, Arkansas voters amended the state constitution to permit four casinos, with one each in the counties of Crittenden, Garland, Pope, and Jefferson. However, voters in Pope County were among just 11 of the 75 counties in the state that voted against Amendment 100.
After years of legal wrangling, the Arkansas Racing Commission (ARC) in June determined that only the Cherokee’s bid for the casino license in Pope County qualified for consideration. The process took years to culminate with state officials concluding that another bid from a Mississippi-based gaming company didn’t meet bidding criteria, most specifically obtaining a letter of support from the sitting county judge or a resolution of support from a majority of the Pope County Quorum Court.
A rival tribe of the Cherokees in Oklahoma — the Choctaw Nation — is behind Issue 2. The so-called Local Voters in Charge amendment would require that casino licenses only be granted to counties that field support for gaming initiatives through a local election. The Choctaws are seeking to limit competition for their tribal casinos in Eastern Oklahoma.
Issue 2, if backed by a simple majority, would rescind the Pope County gaming license issued to the Cherokees. A casino could only be reauthorized for Pope County and Russellville, where the Cherokees have proposed a $300 million scheme called Legends Resort & Casino, through a subsequent statewide gaming referendum. Pope County would need to be among the counties backing the hypothetical referendum to reestablish the license.
Friend and Foes
With voting underway, the Cherokees held a rally this week in Pope County urging voters to oppose Issue 2. Pope County Judge Ben Cross, a strong ally of the Cherokee casino, said voters should look at the resort as a “stimulus package” first and a casino second.
This is a stimulus package that will not be afforded to us again,” said Cross. “We are letting our concerted effort known that we are against Issue 2 because it is going to stifle development.”
Local Voters in Charge says they aren’t anti-gaming, but simply want to give the people the final say about what types of businesses are allowed in their communities.
The impact [of a casino] is going to be huge,” said Local Voters in Charge spokesperson Hans Stiritz. “The decision should be with the voters.”
In 2018, 60.6% of Pope County voters rejected the casino question. Cross says the community’s sentiment about the casino has since changed.