Mississippi-based Gulfside On line casino Partnership isn’t folding on its pursuit to construct and function a business on line casino in Arkansas by means of Pope County.
Gulfside On line casino Partnership co-founder Terry Inexperienced unveils his $405 million imaginative and prescient for a business on line casino resort in Arkansas’ Russellville on Wednesday, Might 29, 2024. The on line casino bid is certainly one of two submissions looking for help from Pope County officers to qualify for submission to the Arkansas Racing Fee. (Picture: ABC7)
Practically six years after a on line casino license earmarked for Pope County was approved by statewide voters by a poll referendum, the Arkansas Racing Fee (ARC) is fielding bids for the state’s lone remaining gaming concession that gives slot machines, desk video games, and sports activities betting privileges. Gulfside, an entity managed by riverboat gaming pioneers Terry Inexperienced and Rick Carter, final week introduced ARC with an up to date scope for its River Valley On line casino Resort in Russellville.
The $405 million pitch features a 70,000-square-foot on line casino with roughly 1,500 slot machines, 50 dwell vendor desk video games, a sportsbook, and a 300-room resort. The resort would characteristic conference area, a number of eating places and bars, an outside amphitheater, and a spa and health heart.
The Gulfside pitch joins one different bid for the Pope on line casino license.
The Cherokee Nation Companies, a subsidiary of the Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma, has submitted a $300 million improvement to ARC for consideration. Dubbed Legends Resort & On line casino, the venture that additionally targets Russellville would come with 50,000 sq. ft of gaming with 1,200 slots, 32 tables, sports activities betting, a number of eating places and bars, and a 200-room resort with resort facilities.
Judicial Help Wanted
The 2018 poll referendum that amended the Arkansas Structure to allow business on line casino playing within the counties of Crittenden, Garland, Jefferson, and Pope requires that on line casino bids be accompanied by a letter of help from the focused county’s present choose or quorum courtroom. At present, solely the Legends plan has such an endorsement.
Pope County Choose Ben Cross and the Pope County Quorum Courtroom each lent their help final yr to the Cherokee plan. As ARC reopened bidding for the Pope on line casino earlier this month, it was presumed that solely the Cherokee plan would qualify for assessment.
The judicial element hasn’t stopped Gulfside. The corporate says it’ll search the county quorum courtroom’s help when it makes its case earlier than the 13-member panel on June 6. Gulfside wants seven judges to help the on line casino for it to qualify to go earlier than ARC.
To sweeten the deal, Gulfside is providing the county a $65 million upfront fee upon receipt of the license. Together with native tax technology, the corporate has pledged to direct $2 million yearly to the county for financial improvement functions.
Cross Unfazed
Cross says the Gulfside plan shouldn’t be embraced by the quorum courtroom. He actually gained’t be backing the River Valley plan.
I’m glad with the connection that Cherokee Nation Companies constructed throughout the neighborhood during the last 5 years,” Cross defined. “I don’t anticipate issuing any extra letters of help.”
Gulfside lawyer Casey Castleberry says River Valley, a bigger resort endeavor with a richer assure for the county, ought to be backed by the courtroom.
We expect that deserves consideration,” Castleberry stated final week throughout the resort’s unveiling. “It’s superior, frankly, to something that’s been supplied by every other potential applicant.”
ARC has a June 11 deadline for certified on line casino proposals to be submitted.
