Another lawsuit has been filed in the ongoing battle over the casino license in Pope County, Arkansas. This latest legal action comes as the state’s Attorney General, Leslie Rutledge, is already dealing with multiple challenges to the decision-making process that led to the awarding of the license.
The lawsuit, filed by a group of residents in Pope County, alleges that the process used by the Arkansas Racing Commission to choose the winning bid for the license was flawed and lacked transparency. The group argues that the Commission did not properly vet the applicants or consider the impact that a new casino would have on the local community.
The controversy surrounding the casino license began in 2019, when the Racing Commission initially awarded the license to a group that included Cherokee Nation Businesses. However, a judge ruled that the Commission had violated the state’s casino gambling laws by accepting applications from groups that did not have the required endorsements from local officials.
In response to the court ruling, the Racing Commission opened up the application process again, leading to a new round of bids. This time, a group led by Gulfside Casino Partnership was awarded the license.
But the legal challenges did not end there. Several unsuccessful bidders have filed lawsuits against the Commission, alleging that the process was biased in favor of Gulfside. The latest lawsuit adds to this growing list of legal battles.
The residents behind the new lawsuit argue that the Commission failed to properly consider the negative impact that a casino would have on Pope County, including increased traffic, crime, and gambling addiction. They also claim that the Commission did not give the public enough opportunity to provide input on the decision.
Attorney General Rutledge has yet to respond to the latest lawsuit, but she has previously defended the Commission’s decision-making process. In a statement earlier this year, Rutledge said that the Commission had followed the law and that she would vigorously defend its actions in court.
Meanwhile, construction on the new casino in Pope County has already begun. Gulfside Casino Partnership has said that it hopes to open the casino by the end of next year, despite the ongoing legal challenges.
The outcome of the lawsuits remains uncertain, but one thing is clear: the fight over the Pope County casino license is far from over. As the legal battles continue to play out in court, the future of the casino – and the community it will call home – hangs in the balance.
