First bid in for Pope County casino license

A Mississippi casino operator applied Monday — with endorsements from former local government officials — for a casino license up for grabs in Pope County, and the county judge there says at least three more bids are on the way before the application window closes by month’s end.

About midday Monday, Gulfside Casino Partnership, with headquarters in Gulfport, Miss., delivered the application packet to the Arkansas Racing Commission’s office in Little Rock.

“We believe our application makes a compelling case for why River Valley Casino Resort will be a strong partner not only to Pope County and the River Valley, but the entire state,” Gulfside attorney Casey Castleberry said in an email.

Scott Hardin, spokesman for the state Department of Finance and Administration, which oversees the Racing Commission, said in an email that the application period is going smoothly.

“Due to planning that took place prior to accepting applications and protocol established as a result, this process continues to operate as expected,” Hardin said.

Gulfside’s is the second application received since the submission window opened May 1 for two brandnew casino licenses — one each in Pope and Jefferson counties — designated in Amendment 100, which state voters approved in November. The amendment also allowed Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort in Hot Springs and Southland Gaming and

Racing in West Memphis to expand to full-fledged casinos. Both racetracks previously offered electronic games of skill.

Attorneys for the Quapaw Nation delivered several boxes to the Racing Commission on the first day of the application period, which ends May 30, for the proposed Saracen Casino Resort in Pine Bluff.

Ben Cross, county judge of Pope County, said on Monday that he fully expects three more casino license applications to be submitted before the end of the month — including Warner Gaming, Choctaw Nation and Cherokee Nation.

“All will be submitted without a recommendation,” Cross said, referring to endorsements of local officials.

Voters in Pope County overwhelmingly rejected Amendment 100 — which requires written endorsements from local officials — and approved an ordinance that any endorsement by local officials would require voter approval. No elections have been set to consider authorizing local officials to make endorsements of any casino proposals.

Hardin said that Gulfside’s application includes endorsements from previous Pope County and Russellville officials who issued their support just before leaving office at the end of December.

But the state Racing Commission ruled earlier this year that the endorsements can come only from officials in office at the time the application is submitted.

Cross and Russellville Mayor Richard Harris have said they will not throw their support behind a casino proposal unless it is the will of their constituents.

“This is no surprise,” Cross said of Gulfside submitting the application with the old endorsement letters. “The adoption of rules by the Racing Commission will negate that letter.”

Castleberry, Gulfside’s attorney, said previously that there would be a legal battle if the letters were not accepted by the Racing Commission.

Calls Monday to the Choctaw Nation and the Cherokee Nation were not returned.

Warner Gaming, based in Las Vegas, announced late last month that it is partnering with the Hard Rock brand to propose a fully integrated resort with casino gaming in Pope County.

Owner and CEO Bill Warner said the company will file its application with the Racing Commission without the local government endorsements required by Amendment 100.

“We are working on an exciting proposal that will address all aspects of the plans for Hard Rock Arkansas,” Warner said Monday. “We’ve received a lot of valuable local input from the people of Pope County both through our website and from in-person discussions with local residents. Our application and proposal will be informed by what the local community wants to see in a project like this, and that’s the key to a successful partnership.”

A written endorsement from Pine Bluff Mayor Shirley Washington and Jefferson County’s County Judge Gerald Robinson was included in the Quapaw Nation application, Nate Steel said at the time, and added that he doesn’t foresee any other casino interests vying for the Jefferson County license.

Hardin said in an email that the casino license applications will be distributed to Racing Commission members for review, but will not be released to the public.

“By sharing an application publicly prior to May 30 (the close of the application period), an unfair competitive advantage would be created for those companies yet to apply,” Hardin said. “A competitor could simply review the information contained within the previously submitted application and expand on it in order to gain an advantage and increase the likelihood of obtaining the license.”