Dear Mr. Lieblong, Mr. Lamberth, Mr. Rice, Mr. East, Mr. Post, Mr. Hunter, and Mr. Landers,
I, along with the 7,000 plus members of the Facebook Group Pope County Majority, have been waiting patiently — for the most part — since our Quorum Court voted to approve a Resolution of Support for Cherokee Nation Businesses (CNB) and, not long after that, the Racing Commission voted to open a 90 day period for submission of casino applications.
I have read virtually all of the motions, letters and other material associated with the Pope County Casino litigation in all cases that are currently open or being appealed. That includes Amendment 100, the applicable portions of the Arkansas Casino Gaming Rules, Ark. Code Ann. § 23-117-101, and other material related to the casino issue. I’ve also read and compiled almost all of the well over 500 media articles related to Pope County and the casino dating back to the beginning of 2018. I attended several Pope County Quorum Court meetings, including the ones where the resolution of support (August 13) was approved and where Ordinance 2018-O-42 was repealed. I transcribed and published several very pertinent statements made at the August 13th meeting. I’ve also watched pertinent portions of videos of the Racing Commission, quorum court, and Russellville city meetings.
In recent months, I have shared with Pope County Majority on Facebook information from the material that I have studied, read, and viewed in numerous posts, including graphics I created.
I am better informed on the Pope County casino issue than I have been on any other issue ever and feel very comfortable requesting you seriously consider issuing a casino operation license to Cherokee Nations Businesses at your next meeting.
Issuing the license will begin the process for expanded economic development in the Arkansas River Valley. CNB’s Legends Resort and Casino Arkansas will be a catalyst for new commercial growth in Pope County, with a ripple effect that will benefit the entire region and, indeed, through tax revenue, the entire state. New jobs paying above minimum wage will boost the standard of living for many.
Delays in issuing the casino license to CNB will postpone the payment of funds specified in the Economic Development Agreement between Pope County and CNB. It will also unnecessarily prolong the wait for casino tax revenue to flow to the coffers of the local and state government. This includes the significant percentage of the tax on casino gaming receipts that will go towards purses for Oaklawn thoroughbred racing.
Cherokee Nation Businesses is the only applicant with valid supporting documents from Pope County officials.
In the current litigation, Gulfside Casino Partnership vs. Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration and Arkansas Racing Commission, there are a couple of important points that make it clear to me that Gulfside has no right to a casino license.
- While the Arkansas Casino Gaming Rules and state law requires support documents from current officials to be submitted with an application, a plain reading of Amendment 100, alone, precludes Gulfside from being granted a license. It requires that all applicants for a casino license submit documents of support from the county judge or the quorum court. Until it submitted it’s application, Gulfside was only a prospective applicant. Gulfside became an applicant only when it submitted its application on May 17, including a one-line letter from Jim Ed Gibson, who had been out of office for four months and seventeen days. Clearly Jim Ed Gibson was not the quorum court judge when Gulfside officially became an applicant.
- In a December 31, 2018 article by River Valley Now, Jim Ed Gibson was asked, “I think that’s why there was some debate about it, because people have said, well he’s saying “if”, so it’s not the letter that’s needed. So, I just wanted to get your perspective on what the intent was. So, it wasn’t necessarily meant as THE letter of support?“Gibson replied, “No, it wasn’t.“
Cherokee Nation Businesses is proving to be a good community partner. They have demonstrated that they want to be here. Before a license is issued and ground broken for the casino, CNB’s Legends Resort and Casino Arkansas has shown they are a good fit. Without fan fanfare, they are stepping up, participating in food drives, the county fair, the state fair, Russelville Fall Festival, and numerous other events and programs.
Though they feel they are “entitled to a license to operate a casino in Pope County,” Gulfside has done nothing to show that it would add anything to the community.
Pope County does not want Gulfside to be awarded the casino license.
I respectfully urge you to issue the casino license to Cherokee Nation Businesses so that construction can begin on Legends Resort and Casino Arkansas.
Thank you,
Michael Goad
Dover, Arkansas
