Holder of Pope County casino license sues state, argues Issue 2 is unconstitutional

Chuck Garrett (left), chief executive officer of Cherokee Nation Businesses, is joined by Mark Fulton, president of Cherokee Nation Entertainment, while speaking to the Arkansas Racing Commission in Little Rock in this June 27, 2024, file photo. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Staci Vandagriff)

Less than 72 hours after the polls closed in Arkansas on Election Day, a lawsuit led by Cherokee Nation Entertainment was filed in federal court in Little Rock against the state of Arkansas contesting passage of a constitutional amendment rescinding a Pope County casino license and asking for an injunction to keep the casino license loss from going into effect later this month.

Passage of Issue 2 on Election Day — likely to become Amendment 104 to the Arkansas Constitution — effectively terminates a casino license for Pope County that was authorized as part of the original amendment passed in 2018 and was awarded earlier this year to Cherokee Nation Businesses LLC by the Arkansas Racing Commission.

Amendment 100, which passed in 2018 with 54.1%

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