ARKANSAS, USA — On Wednesday morning, Issue 2 passed in Arkansas, revoking the Pope County casino license and forcing a special election for any future casinos in the county where they would be located.
"The numbers look great and we hope they hold up,” explained Hans Stiritz with Local Voters in Charge (LVIC), a pro-Issue 2 group, late on Tuesday night.
For Stiritz and LVIC, which was funded by the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, the numbers did hold up.
As of Wednesday afternoon, Arkansans had voted in favor of Issue 2 by a margin of approximately 56-44, with 97% reporting.
“We now have a provision in the state constitution that requires a local election to affirm a new casino license before that project can go forward,” Stiritz described.
On the other side, Pope County Judge Ben Cross, who has been a vocal casino supporter, pointed to the fact that while the issue passed statewide, Pope County voted no by that same 56-44 margin.
He said that makes it clear that Pope County wanted what would’ve been the Legends Resort and Casino.
“The irony of it is the other side wanted a local vote,” Judge Cross said. “And the local vote was had tonight, and it said Pope County residents wanted this resort to come here."
So what if Pope County does still want a casino?
Scott Hardin, a spokesman for the Arkansas Racing Commission, detailed what this process would look like now that Issue 2 has been passed.
"One, we'd have to have a casino group or company pursue getting it on the ballot. Meaning they’d have to collect all the required signatures to successfully get it on the ballot," said Hardin. "Two, Arkansans, via a statewide vote, would have to then approve that ballot initiative. And then three, if that proposed casino was in your county, then you would then vote if you wanted it as a county."
Hardin said if voters statewide approved a casino license but local voters then said no, what would happen next would depend on the language of the initial amendment creating the new license.
“If they worded it to where this is the only county where it's going to be located and that's how that ballot initiative was worded, then that would be the end of it," said Hardin. "I would think if someone did pursue it, they would leave it open-ended, in case one county didn't want it, then maybe another would.”
So could we see this process begin soon in an effort to add to the three casinos Arkansas currently has? Hardin said it’s not likely.
“We're not talking about some simple process where counties now say, ‘Hey, let's consider whether or not we want a casino. We're going to have to see a large initiative in the next election to get it on the ballot and then pass it, and then see if a county wants it, " he said. "So very frankly, I think I'm going to be very surprised if we have more than three casinos in the state five or six years from now, simply because we've seen how much opposition there is to a fourth casino.”
However, Cherokee Nation Businesses, which would’ve owned the proposed casino, don’t seem to be giving up.
In a statement, their CEO Chuck Garrett wrote in part, "Though this outcome alters our immediate path, we will continue to defend our investment and protect the license we fairly earned and were afforded through the constitution."
Stiritz said his group was ready for any future casino-related amendments because he feels confident about the system now that Issue 2 has passed.
“We want our voices to be heard in the end,” Stiritz said. “And local voters to make that decision. So we'll take on whatever comes down the line.”