Arkansas racing panel favors 2 rules tied to casinos

One clarifies who can write local-level letters of support

A roulette wheel spins at Cherokee Casino & Hotel in West Siloam Springs, Okla., on August 23. Some Oklahoma casinos have been granted permission to install “ball and dice” games including roulette and craps.
A roulette wheel spins at Cherokee Casino & Hotel in West Siloam Springs, Okla., on August 23. Some Oklahoma casinos have been granted permission to install “ball and dice” games including roulette and craps.

The Arkansas Racing Commission on Wednesday gave tentative approval to two new rules related to casino gambling, including one that would validate local officials' support for a proposed casino in Pine Bluff.

The commission -- which already oversees gambling and racing at tracks in Hot Springs and West Memphis -- was put in charge of developing rules for the licensing and operation of up to four new full-fledged casinos authorized when voters approved a constitutional amendment on the November ballot.

The measure, now known as Amendment 100 to the Arkansas Constitution, stipulates that two of those casinos be located alongside the state's existing racetracks and the other two be built at new locations in Jefferson and Pope counties.

The two new casinos must receive letters of support from the respective county judges or quorum courts, plus support from a city's mayor if the casinos are built inside a city.

One of the rules approved by the Racing Commission states that those letters from local leaders should be dated after Nov. 14, the effective date of the amendment.

The rule, if adopted, would clarify questions surrounding a letter of support written by Jefferson County's County Judge Booker Clemons.

Clemons, whose term as county judge expires at the end of this year, wrote a letter on Nov. 19 in support of the proposed Saracen Casino Resort in Pine Bluff. That resort is being planned by the development arm of the Quapaw Nation. Pine Bluff Mayor Shirley Washington also wrote a letter supporting the proposed casino.

At the time the letter was released, it was not clear if the tribe would need an additional letter from the new county judge next year. Jefferson County Sheriff Gerald Robinson will succeed Clemons as county judge. Robinson has stated that he would welcome the casino.

Byron Freeland, an attorney for the commission, said afterward that under the proposed rule, Clemons' letter would satisfy the requirement for local support.

The rule passed without any debate among the commissioners or comments from the audience.

The commissioners also approved, without debate, a rule related to the licensing of employees who will work at the casinos.

Freeland said he is still developing rules related to gambling at the casinos. He said he plans to release the proposed rules by Friday.

The commission will next meet Jan. 10 for a public comment period on the rules approved Wednesday, as well as the planned gambling rules.

Amendment 100 will allow Southland Gaming and Racing greyhound racetrack at West Memphis, and Oaklawn Park Racing and Gaming thoroughbred track in Hot Springs to develop full-fledged casinos. Both tracks now have electronic games of skill. They are exempt from the requirement to obtain approval of local officials.

In the November election, voters in Pope County not only rejected the casino amendment but also approved a local initiated measure that requires local officials to get approval from voters before supporting a casino proposal. The Cherokee Nation has expressed interest in building a casino in Pope County.

Metro on 12/27/2018

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