Casino backers facing lawsuit

Staffing firm sues, claiming it’s still owed $30,000 for work

An employment agency has filed a complaint against three companies linked to the chief proponent of an unsuccessful proposed constitutional amendment that would have allowed for four casinos in Arkansas.

Oklahoma City-based PeopleSource of ArkansasLLC filed the suit in Pulaski County Circuit Court, claiming it should be awarded nearly $30,000 in damages because thethree firms breached their contract with the agency.

The complaint, f iled Nov. 21, names Nancy Todd Poker Palace LLC, Nancy Todd’s Poker Palace and Entertainment Venues LLC and Arkansas Counts LLC as defendants.

Todd said in an interview Tuesday that PeopleSource LLC helped her collect signatures on petitions for the proposed constitutional amendment.

Todd said her contract with Arkansas Development I - the owner of the firm Nancy Todd’s Poker Palace and Entertainment Venues - ended Oct. 4, and she is waiting to be paid her last check.

She referred other questions about the complaint to Larry Weis of Evergreen Investments in Lebanon, Mo., because she said he was in charge of the finances for the groups that promoted the project.

Weis could not be reached for comment by phone at his office on Tuesday or Wednesday.

Frank Falkner of Little Rock, an attorney at the Rose Law Firm representing PeopleSource, declined to comment Wednesday.

Last month, the state Supreme Court ruled that votes cast on Todd’s proposal to allow Nancy Todd’s Poker Palace and Entertainment Venues to own and operate casinos in Pulaski, Miller, Franklin and Crittenden counties wouldn’t be counted because the description of the proposal on the ballot was significantly different from the way it was described to voterswho signed petitions to put it on the ballot.

According to the complaint, Nancy Todd Poker Palace and PeopleSource signed a staffing agreement on July 2 that said People-Source would handle recruiting and prescreening of candidates for Nancy Todd Poker Palace.

On a July 2 credit application, Arkansas Counts and Nancy Todd’s Poker Palace and EntertainmentVenues agreed to pay all of PeopleSource’s invoices within 30 days of the date of the invoices, the complaint states. Todd signed in her representative capacity listing her title as “Nancy Todd, general manager” and listed the registered company address as “17200 Chenal Parkway S 323” in Little Rock, according to the complaint.

Between June 11 and Aug. 15, PeopleSource provided services and invoices to the defendants, and the defendants accepted the services and never protested the monthly billing, the complaint states.

But those invoices were never paid, the complaint states.

As of Nov. 21, People-Source was owed $29,321.67 by the defendants, according to the complaint.

In its complaint, People-Source asked to be awarded damages of $29,321.67, plus pre-judgment and post-judgment interest; attorney fees; its costs and expenses incurred in connection with the complaint; and “all other relief which this court deems just and appropriate.”

The complaint has been assigned to Pulaski County Circuit Judge Alice Gray, according to the Pulaski County circuit clerk’s office.

Arkansas Development I, Nancy Todd’s Poker Palace and Entertainment Venues, and the Arkansas Counts Committee collectively reported receiving more than $2.4 million in contributions and spending more than $2.4 million, leaving cash on hand of more than $5,500.

Evergreen Investments contributed $727,482 to Arkansas Development I, while Tom Boyce of Little Rock contributed $168,287; Jim Thompson of Little Rock gave $150,025.53; Bob Womack of Little Rock gave $87,537; and Evergreen Arkansas Development contributed $76,779, according to Arkansas Development I’s reports on file with the Arkansas Ethics Commission.

Arkansas Development I contributed $827,648 to the Arkansas Counts Committee, according to that committee’s report.

Weis is listed as an officer for the three committees, while Todd is listed as a member, according to the committees’ reports.

Northwest Arkansas, Pages 7 on 11/29/2012

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