Southland Casino Racing in West Memphis and the Arkansas Greyhound Association have agreed to end live greyhound racing by Dec. 31, 2022, according to a filing with the Arkansas Racing Commission.
The filing, submitted by attorneys for Southland, states that Florida voters in 2018 approved a proposal to end live greyhound racing by 2021 and there are threats of a similar campaign in Arkansas.
An effort to end live racing at Southland through a ballot measure would be disruptive to the interests of Southland and the association and would deprive them of certainty and clarity for the future, according to the filing.
Southland said it wanted to retain its casino license and asked Racing Commission to determine that will happen.
In a voice vote with no dissenters, the panel decided that if Southland ends greyhound racing, it will be regulated like casinos in Jefferson and Pope counties and that wouldn't be a basis to suspend or revoke the license.
The attorney for the commission, Byron Freeland, said that is consistent with Amendment 100.
Southland attorneys said the plan is to adopt out the greyhounds.
Read Friday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.