Fact-checking casino amendment ads running Arkansas

ARKANSAS, USA — Issue 2 on the November 2024 ballot will allow Arkansans to make a decision on casino licensing in Arkansas. 

If approved, it would revoke the Pope County casino license. It would also require any future casino licenses to be approved by local voters in a countywide election. This would allow residents to vote on whether they want gambling in their county instead of having the Arkansas Racing Commission make the decision. 

The group behind the amendment — Local Voters in Charge (LVC) — and the group opposing it — Investing in Arkansas — have sponsored political advertisements on this issue. To clear up some confusion, 5NEWS has fact-checked some claims made in the advertisements. 

One claim LVC makes is that while four casinos have already been authorized in four different counties, only three of the counties actually voted yes.

This comes from 2018, when Amendment 100 was approved statewide to authorize casinos in West Memphis to Southland Racing, one in Hot Springs to Oaklawn Jockey Club, one in Jefferson County, and one in Pope County.

Local voters in Pope County voted 61% against Amendment 100. Issue 2 ensures no county that votes against a casino license will receive one without local voter approval.

If you look at the local results our county didn’t vote to approve it,” Scott Hardin, the communications director for the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration, said. “But, it doesn’t matter because it was a statewide ballot initiative.”

LVC also claims out-of-state gambling lobbyists are trying to force a casino in Pope County. The Arkansas Racing Commission awarded the Pope County license to Cherokee Nation Entertainment (CNE) based in Sallisaw, Oklahoma.

But it’s important to note Choctaw Casino in Pocola, Oklahoma, just outside of Fort Smith, has raised over $5 million in support of Issue 2. 

“Both are out of state, although Cherokee Nation Entertainment has been in Polk County, at least physically, for several years,” Hardin adds.

In the Investing in Arkansas political ads, Pope County Judge Ben Cross claims the county quorum court and local mayors support building a casino there. Hardin said the quorum court passed a resolution in support of Cherokee Nation Entertainment back in 2023.

“In order to apply to the AR Racing Commission to get that license in the county, you have to have either a letter from the county judge or an ordinance of support from the quorum court,” Hardin said.

The ads say the casino tax revenue will fund county needs like first responders, schools, and road improvements. As required by Amendment 100, all casinos must pay 8% in taxes to the county it’s located and 13% in taxes on all revenue up to $150 million within a one-year period. 

Lastly, Investing in Arkansas ads claim voting in favor of Issue 2 will cost Arkansas thousands of jobs and millions in investments. Hardin said those jobs would come directly from Cherokee Nation Entertainment who hire workers to build and operate the casino. 

“The Cherokee Nation Entertainment has developed an agreement with the county to provide $40 million,” Hardin said. “They’ve said once they build their facility, they’ll provide that funding directly to the county.”

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