POPE COUNTY, Ark — The Pope County Casino process continues as the Arkansas Racing Commission voted to reopen bidding to get the license.
Building that last casino has been stuck in court for five years.
After a meeting full of voting on Monday morning, the Arkansas Racing Commission has made the decision that they're moving forward in the application process for the Pope County casino license.
The new application period will be open from May 12 to June 11.
"it really is a clean slate. I mean, there has been so much along the way," Racing Commission Spokesperson, Scott Hardin said.
Racing Commission Spokesperson Scott Hardin said they're starting fresh after several lawsuits got in the way.
"Gulfside initially received a license, then that decision was changed. Then the Cherokee received a license. Obviously, that didn't take so now we're back here today. There have been two separate companies that have held the license and the racing commission today expressed, look, we are ready to get this done. We're ready to move forward," Hardin described.
In addition to approving the new application period, the commission also approved the application criteria and score sheet.
"These companies that want to apply, they want that license, they have to go to Pope County to the county judge and the quorum court and say, will you support this application? Will you support this project? And if they won't, they could submit an application, but it wouldn't be considered," he explained.
Right now, Hardin said only one company has that letter of support from the Pope County Judge.
"As of now, publicly, the Cherokee are the only ones that have that letter of support," he said.
However, time will tell what happens next and who will end up with the casino license.
"Within the next 30 days after June 11th, they have to issue the license so they have 30 days to issue that license. So it's not as if this thing is going to drag on for months. They have to get it out the door. So that means by mid-July you'll see that license issued," he added.
Once the license is issued, Hardin said it would take about a year and a half to get the casino up and running.