OPINION - EDITORIAL

The people speak ...

Free market also applies to gambling

Since Arkansas voters approved casino gambling back in November, it's been full steam ahead in three of the four counties looking to get casinos. But in Pope County, things are a little murkier, where around 60 percent of voters there said no, but outgoing leaders said, sure, come on in!

The Arkansas Racing Commission will have to sort out that headache. But in the meantime, someone else has stepped up to show interest.

The ballot language voters approved only authorized casinos in Hot Springs, West Memphis, Pope County and Jefferson County. But that didn't stop Clarksville from stepping forward after Pope County voters said no. The only problem? Clarksville is in Johnson County, about 20-25 minutes outside of Pope County.

Arkansas voters are a peculiar bunch, plum unpredictable. This is a state that has voted to increase its minimum wage twice but shot down statewide alcohol sales. We approved voter ID requirements and medical marijuana. This is the state that voted for Winthrop Rockefeller, J. William Fulbright and George Wallace in the same election (1968). Someone keeps telling us the word for this is "populist," but we like to think of it as the workings of a headstrong electorate in this small inconsistent state.

On Monday, The Courier reported that Clarksville Mayor David Rieder expressed interest in bringing a casino to town if Pope County doesn't want it:

"Our economic development team attended the Arkansas Racing Commission meeting last week," the mayor said. "During that time, apparently, a conversation was started where the commission asked if we'd be interested in the casino resort. The economic development team asked me my thoughts, so I called a special city council meeting to ask the council."

The vote from that meeting was 5-1 in favor of sending a letter of support of a potential casino in Clarksville, according to the papers.

This might be a lesson in two areas, both government and economics. The first is in local control. Pope County passed an ordinance barring the county judge from issuing a letter of support needed for a casino without a special election and the approval of voters. Pope County doesn't like the rest of the state having a say in what businesses pop up in its borders. You gotta respect that independence.

The second lesson comes in terms of the free market. If Pope County doesn't want a casino, Clarksville is free to make known that it does. What remains unclear is if Johnson County can have a casino after voters approved very specific language about where the gambling centers can go. We get the feeling that'll be a no-go in the first court that hears the case.

Some people in Russellville will tell you they're jealous of Clarksville's aquatic center (even after Russellville got a new one of its own). Others will say they've waited too long for Pope County to get a convention center. But if it turns out Clarksville does get a casino (and a convention center comes with it), this'll just be one more thing for some Russellville people to envy.

Fortunately, if Clarksville does get a casino, it'll only be 25 minutes away for those in Russellville that want to play cards and roll dice. And Clarksville will happily welcome their money.

Once again, local voters and the free market show who's really in charge.

Editorial on 01/21/2019

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