Arkansas: Voters to determine Pope County casino project's future in November ballot

Arkansas voters will be asked to determine the future of a casino project in Pope County in the November 2024 ballot. The inclusion of this question on the ballot follows a successful petition by the group Local Voters in Charge, who secured the necessary signatures to propose a constitutional amendment regarding the casino.

Arkansas Secretary of State John Thurston confirmed that Local Voters in Charge gathered 116,200 verified signatures, exceeding the required 90,704. The proposed amendment, titled "An Amendment Requiring Local Voter Approval in a Countywide Special Election for Certain New Casino Licenses and Repealing Authority to Issue a Casino License in Pope County, Arkansas," seeks to revoke the authorization for a casino in Pope County unless it is approved by local voters in a special election.

The Pope County casino has been a contentious issue since the approval of four casino licenses by Arkansas voters in 2018. While casinos in the other three locations have been established without major issues, the Pope County project has faced significant opposition, resulting in delays and legal battles.

Local Voters in Charge argue that the residents of Pope County have consistently opposed the casino project. Hans Stiritz, a spokesman for the group, stressed the importance of allowing local communities to have a say in such matters.

"In record numbers, Arkansas voters have stated the obvious – casinos should not be forced into communities that do not want them," Stiritz said. "Our state’s motto ‘Regnat Populus’ – ‘The People Rule’ – is a promise that we can fulfill by supporting Local Voter Control of Casino Gambling in November."

Currently, the license for the Pope County casino has been awarded to Cherokee Nation Entertainment, which plans to develop The Legends Casino and Resort on a 325-acre site northeast of Russellville, along Interstate 40.

However, the project's future remains uncertain as the ballot measure could revoke this license. If approved by voters, the amendment would remove Pope County from the list of places authorized to have a casino.

Opposition to the amendment is spearheaded by the group Investing in Arkansas. Natalie Ghidotti, the group's vice chairman, contends that the amendment is a tactic by a rival casino operator to disrupt the development.

"The group pushing this initiative has repeatedly lied to Arkansas voters about what this proposed amendment will really do," Ghidotti stated. "This ballot measure is nothing but a ploy by the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma—a rejected casino operator—to change the Arkansas constitution to protect its business interests in another state."

Ghidotti emphasized that the amendment would negate the already awarded license for the Legends Resort & Casino, which has garnered support from local officials.