The original five bidders included Las Vegas-based Warner Gaming, which operates the Hard Rock in Las Vegas, as well as tribal casinos in Washington, New Mexico, and Iowa. Warner CEO Bill Warner says he will submit a casino scheme for Russellville before next week’s deadline, despite the county’s backing of the Cherokee plan.<\/p>\n
\nWe have reviewed the city’s request for proposals in detail,” Warner explained. “We’re impressed by the evaluation system and very pleased to be participating in a fair and transparent process.”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
In Russellville’s request for proposal, the city said that “the review and evaluation is to assist the city in issuing its recommendation to the Pope County Quorum Court.”<\/p>\n
Will of People<\/b><\/h2>\n
The Oaklawn and Southland tracks are now functioning as commercial casinos, with table games and slot machines. In Jefferson, the county and state Racing Commission has signed-off on a $350 million casino resort in Pine Bluff from the Quapaw Nation’s Downstream Development Authority.<\/p>\n
Everything about Issue 4 is going as planned \u2013 except in Pope.<\/p>\n
\n
The ballot question passed with 54.1 percent statewide support. But in Pope, more than 60 percent of voters said they didn’t want a casino. No county was as adamantly opposed to the gaming proposition.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Russellville Mayor Richard Harris and Pope County Judge Ben Cross both stated during their campaigns they would not write a letter of support for the casino without the backing of their residents. While the county’s Quorum Court backed the Cherokee pitch, Harris didn’t lend his name.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The bidding for the Arkansas casino license reserved for Pope County is moving forward in Russellville, as the city announced it’s accepting development proposals until next Wednesday at noon, October 2. Arkansas voters passed Issue 4 during the November 2018 election. The ballot referendum gave authorization to the state’s two racetrack racinos to transition into […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":115789,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[62,13592],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
Arkansas Casino Bids for Pope County City Begin in Russellville<\/title>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n