POPE COUNTY official offers $4 million olive branch to city ahead of casino hearing.
The county judge of Pope County extended an olive branch — to the tune of $4 million — to the city of Russellville on Friday, just a week before the state Racing Commission is set to interview two contenders for a casino license there.
In a letter sent Friday by Clayton McCall, county attorney for Pope County, to Russellville City Attorney William Smith, McCall proffers a “recent development which may substantially benefit the City of Russellville.”
McCall said in the letter that County Judge Ben Cross negotiated with Chuck Garrett, chief executive officer of Cherokee Nation Businesses, to modify the $38.8 million Economic Development Agreement signed in August prior to the county Quorum Court’s endorsement of the Cherokees for the casino license.
The offer includes a $2 million water park that would be built anywhere in the city “at the direction of the city government rather than on the grounds of the resort,” and a $2 million direct payment to the city’s general fund from the county’s share of the Economic Development Agreement. The county asked the city to give an answer by July 17.
Russellville Mayor Richard Harris, who has maintained his stance that he will not support a casino unless the issue was put before voters, said neither Cross nor any other county officials reached out to him before the issuance of the letter.
“Therefore, I had no knowledge that the offers made in this letter were even being considered until notified by the press this afternoon,” Harris said. “While an offer of $2 million to the city budget would be a welcome benefit, the other conditions in the letter require additional consideration and will be discussed with the [City] Council.”
Garrett said the Cherokees are committed to the terms of the Economic Development Agreement, “which is a binding contract,” and “satisfying
every element in it.”
“We are also committed to being flexible with the local governments as they continue discussions,” Garrett said.
When contacted, Cross said he began a dialogue with Cherokee officials after a June 1 special meeting of the Russellville Recreation and Parks Commission in which the fate of the city’s 43-year-old M.J. Hickey swimming pool was debated.
To repair the old pool with a new liner and apron would cost about $450,000.
“Members in the community made me aware of their concerns of the lack of youth activities that already exist and what a loss the closure of Hickey Pool would mean,” Cross said.
A water park, complete with a “lazy” river, has long been in the Cherokees’ proposal submitted to the Racing Commission.
“I remain ever cognizant of the fact I represent all citizens of Pope County, including all residents of Russellville. I recognize the status of Russellville as the center of our economic footprint in the river valley, and the draw such an attraction would be, not only to our own population, but the region as a whole,” Cross said. “I am also acutely aware that there are families out there who would be hesitant to bring their families out to a waterpark at a casino-based resort, but would definitely utilize such a facility as a standalone entity operated by the Russellville Parks and Recreation Department.”
The state Racing Commission is set to meet Thursday to interview and evaluate the two applicants — Cherokee Nation Businesses and Gulfside Casino Partnership of Mississippi — for the Pope County license.
The process for the license has been turbulent ever since voters in November 2018 approved constitutional Amendment 100, which allows a new casino each in Pope and Jefferson counties and allowed the expansion of gambling at the racetracks in Hot Springs and West Memphis.
Pope County voters soundly rejected Amendment 100 and approved a since-repealed initiated county ordinance that would require officials to seek voter approval before backing a proposal.
Cherokee Nation Businesses and Gulfside Casino Partnership were among the five original applicants, all rejected by the Racing Commission last year because none met the commission’s rule in place at the time that required endorsements from officials in office at the time of application submission.
Gulfside sued the Racing Commission because its application contained endorsements from officials who had left office in December 2018.
Earlier this year, Pulaski County Circuit Judge Tim Fox ruled unconstitutional the commission rule and state law that add a requirement that the endorsements come from local officials serving at the time of the application.
The Cherokees resubmitted their application after receiving the county’s endorsements.
The Cherokees’ Economic Development Agreement has long been a source of contention between Cross and Harris. Cross has said that the mayor did not want to be a part of the agreement, but Harris says that he was never invited to the table.
Cross said he hopes the addition of Russellville to the agreement will clarify his belief that “Russellville is the heart of our county community as a whole.”
“The fact I included in the proposed revision, a direct reallocation of $2 million in direct cash payments to the city, as well as, the $2 million water park, should speak to our desire as county government to work in concert with our six municipalities to the good of all residents,” Cross said.