Lawsuit filed over measure approved by Arkansas voters revoking planned casino license

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Cherokee Nation Entertainment filed a lawsuit Friday challenging a constitutional amendment approved by Arkansas voters this week that would revoke the license of a planned casino in the state.

Lawsuit filed in federal court seeks injunction approved by voters Tuesday, violating his constitutional rights and trying to block its implementation before it goes into effect on November 13. constitutional amendment It blocks a planned casino in Pope County.

Pope County was one of four places where casinos were allowed to be built under a constitutional amendment voters approved in 2018. Casinos had already been established in three other places.

“Cherokee Nation Entertainment is committed to protecting its constitutional rights, defending its lawfully issued casino license, and protecting the significant investments it made in good faith based on the creation of the Pope County casino license under Amendment 100 in 2018,” said Bart Calhoun. Cherokee Nation Entertainment’s attorney said in a statement.

The lawsuit is the latest in a costly fight between the Cherokee Nation and the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, which spent at least $30 million combined campaigning over the ballot measure. The state Supreme Court last month rejected the Cherokee Nation’s lawsuit to remove the measure from the ballot. The Choctaw Nation operates a casino near the Arkansas border.

“This legal action to disable the voice of Arkansas voters is not unexpected,” said Hans Stiritz, spokesman for the Local Voters Officer campaign, which is backed by the Choctaw Nation in favor of the measure. “But we are completely confident in the process that brought Issue 2 to the ballot. “Arkansas voters spoke clearly about Issue 2, and we expect it to prevail.”

Attorney General Tim Griffin called the lawsuit “baseless” and said he was prepared to vigorously defend the state.

The proposed amendment removes Pope County casino authority from the state constitution. It also requires future casino licenses to be approved by voters in the county where they will be located. The constitution currently requires casino license applicants to submit letters of support from local officials.

Cherokee Nation Entertainment said it plans to build a 50,000-square-foot (4,600-square-meter) casino northeast of Russellville, 60 miles (97 kilometers) northwest of Little Rock. Plans also call for a 200-room hotel, conference center and outdoor music venue.