The Arkansas Supreme Court ruled on Thursday that Cherokee Nation Businesses had the right to intervene in litigation over the sole casino license in Pope County.
The ruling overturns a Pulaski County Circuit Court decision and sends the case back to that court.
At issue is who gets a license to operate a casino in Pope County.
Amendment 100, approved by voters in 2018, authorized the expansion of gambling operations at racetracks in Hot Springs and West Memphis into full-fledged casinos, as well as casinos in Jefferson County and Pope County. A casino in Pope County has been in dispute.
The release of the Supreme Court decision comes one day after the Arkansas Racing Commission approved an order regarding its July denial of an applicant’s appeal of the commission’s decision to award the Pope County casino license to Gulfside Casino Partnership.
The 27-page document outlined the racing commission’s findings of fact and conclusions of law regarding its 3-2 vote on July 30 to deny the appeal by Oklahoma-based Cherokee Nation Businesses’ Legends Resort and Casino LLC.
See Friday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for more details.