Arkansas Lawyer Basic Tim Griffin’s (R) workplace will help the Arkansas Racing Fee (ARC) in figuring out learn how to resolve the continued authorized saga surrounding the unissued Pope County on line casino license.
Arkansas Lawyer Basic Tim Griffin will interject within the ongoing authorized dispute surrounding the on line casino license in Pope County. Griffin is sending state attorneys to assist the Arkansas Racing Fee resolve the matter. (Picture: KATV)
The Arkansas Supreme Courtroom (ARC) earlier this month refused to contemplate an enchantment from the Cherokee Nation Companies. The corporate, owned by the Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma, was contesting a decrease courtroom decide’s ruling that discovered the ARC to have erred in issuing the license for the Cherokee’s deliberate challenge in Russellville, known as the Legends Resort & On line casino, which might be the county’s lone gaming concession.
The state courtroom system decided the Cherokees violated bidding guidelines established by the November 2018 statewide gaming referendum. Voters handed it to permit business casinos in 4 counties — Crittenden, Garland, Jefferson, and Pope — by making use of in partnership with a newly shaped entity known as Legends Resort & On line casino, LLC.
Regardless of the Cherokees absolutely proudly owning the Legends LLC, Pulaski County Choose Tim Fox stated the referendum allowed ARC to solely take into account aggressive bids from single entities that demonstrated proficiency in working business casinos. Together with making use of as a number of entities, Fox stated Legends has no expertise operating a on line casino and was due to this fact disqualified.
AG Steps In
Throughout ARC’s assembly on Friday, Chair Alex Lieblong informed his fellow commissioners that workers from Griffin’s workplace on Wednesday, January 24, will current authorized clarification to the racing and gaming regulators. Lieblong says the assembly might be academic, and no vote on the county license might be held.
What I might seem like is for everyone to only hear and ask questions if you would like, however then give time to consider it earlier than we go ahead as a result of then you’re going to get hit from all the opposite sides,” Lieblong stated, as first reported by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
The the authorized ruling final yr and the state Supreme Courtroom upholding the choice have been main setbacks for the Legends’ growth. The Cherokees have been seemingly deemed the one certified bidder for the concession by way of a separate authorized case.
The Cherokees contested in state courtroom that the lone different bidder for the Pope on line casino allow — an organization known as Gulfside On line casino Partnership, headquartered in Mississippi, that owns and operates two riverboats there — additionally violated the 2018 referendum guidelines as a result of they did not safe the endorsement of both the sitting Pope County decide or Pope County Quorum Courtroom.
Casey Castleberry, an legal professional for Gulfside, stated just lately that the corporate stays in pursuit of the Arkansas on line casino license. It’s awaiting clarification from the Racing Fee about its subsequent aggressive bidding spherical.
Legends Pitch
The Cherokees have proposed constructing a $300 million on line casino resort with 50,000 sq. toes of gaming area, with 1,200 slot machines, 32 desk video games, and a sportsbook. The resort can be highlighted by a 200-room resort with a spa, a number of eating places and bars, 15,000 sq. toes of occasion area, a resort pool, and an outside music venue.
The vacation spot is projected to attract 1.1 million guests yearly and have a 10-year financial affect of greater than $3.15 billion. Legends On line casino & Resort, the Cherokees add, would make use of about 1,750 individuals, however assist greater than 21,000 jobs in Pope County and the encompassing communities by way of direct and oblique employment.
If the challenge finally succeeds in securing the Pope County gaming license, the Cherokees plan to convey on Legends Hospitality as a strategic companion within the resort’s operations. Legends is coowned by billionaire Jerry Jones, an Arkansas native and proprietor of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys.
