Toys not included…

Late Night Humor.

Dear Mr. Lieblong, Mr. Lamberth, Mr. Rice, Mr. East, Mr. Post, Mr. Hunter, and Mr. Lander,

I, along with the 7000 plus members of the Facebook group, Pope County Majority, look forward to the December Racing Commission meeting in the hopes that it will result in the issuance of a license for Cherokee Nation Businesses (CNB) for the construction and operation of a casino.

The obstacles to issuing a license are pretty much moot at this point.

The two lawsuits filed by James Knight and Citizens for a Better Pope County are based on an Ordinance that has been repealed and on the legal validity of a resolution from the Quorum Court that has since been backed up by unquestionably valid letters from Judge Cross.

On the Gulfside litigation, Casey Castleberry, in a November 26th letter, reminds Judge Fox that “Gulfside has filed a Motion for Preliminary Injunction” to enjoin the Racing Commission from issuing a license. Yet, no such injunction has been issued.

With no injunction, Gulfside’s case is over if the Commission issues a casino license to CNB. As Mr. Castleberry writes in his letter, “Arkansas law provides for no other venue in which Gulfside can seek the relief necessary to preserve its claims.”

I believe that Gulfside sees this case ending in the near term and that it will not be in their favor, as evidenced by Mr. Castleberry’s request for a one-hour hearing and “in the alternative” not opposing the Court “ruling on the pending motions without a hearing.”

I believe that the 7,160 members of Pope County Majority are representative of a much larger number of local people who favor the construction of the casino and resort.  I have been pleasantly surprised with the response lately in discussions that I have had. I have talked to people who are not members of Pope County Majority Facebook group.  Some are not active on Facebook, some are reluctant to join our group because of possible repercussions at work, and other reasons, and some seldom or never use a computer.  Virtually all have been either supportive of the casino or not opposed to it.  While I do know some people who are adamantly against the casino, I have only talked to one. Also, while some of the members of our Pope County Majority group do not live in Pope County, most do live here and, of those who don’t, most have ties to Pope County or live in neighboring counties.

We eagerly await the expanded economic development that CNB’s Legends Resort and Casino Arkansas will bring to the Arkansas River Valley.

Legends is already having a positive impact. Long before they opened an office in downtown Russellville, they started sponsoring local events, such as a fishing tournament benefiting disabled veterans. With little fanfare, they are a presence in their local involvement, participating in food drives, the state fair, the county fair, Russellville Fall Festival, Russellville Art Walk, and numerous other events and programs.  CNB has demonstrated that they want to be here.

All Gulfside ever demonstrated was that they want a casino. I don’t think they had much faith in their case from the beginning.  My understanding is that days before Pope County Quorum Court passed the Resolution of Support, Gulfside offered to essentially match the funding dollars offered by CNB for a letter of support and, if they didn’t get the letter of support, would tie the license up in court for an extended period of time.  I don’t know if this is true or simply a rumor, but it fits with what I understand of the case.

Pope County wants Legends Resort and Casino Arkansas. It will be a catalyst for change in the River Valley and a boost for the economic health and viability of the entire area.

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

Here’s Johnny!

I didn’t realize Andy Rooney has been gone so long. What a legendary and endearing curmudgeon!

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