Arkansas Supreme Court shoots down challenge to casino ballot measure

A casino licensing issue in Arkansas made it all the way up to the state's high court. The resulting ruling stirred controversy this week.

According to the Associated Press, the Arkansas Supreme Court rejected a challenge to a ballot measure that would ultimately revoke a casino license.

The decision to reject the challenge to the ballot measure was issued unanimously by the state's high court, causing plenty of backlash from those behind the push to open the casino after it was approved by voters in 2018 as one of four sites where casinos could be constructed.

Cherokee Nation Entertainment was awarded a license to build the casino in Pope County earlier this year. The organization was behind the lawsuit challenging the ballot measure that would allow voters to have the license revoked.

The lawsuit was brought forth by Cherokee Nation Entertainment and Arkansas Canvassing Compliance Committee, an affiliated group.

The AP noted:

A special master appointed by the court to review evidence disagreed with the lawsuit’s claim that Local Voters in Charge, the group behind the measure, did not submit required paperwork about its paid canvassers. The special master also rejected the lawsuit’s claim that the group violated a ban on paying canvassers per signature.

One of the groups cheering the state high court's ruling was Local Voters in Charge. It released a statement in the wake of the ruling.

"Issue 2’s message of local voter control -- that communities should have the final say on a casino in their own hometown -- is resonating across the state," Hans Stiritz, a spokesperson, said in a statement.

He added, "We look forward to the court’s final decision on the ballot language challenge, with hope that the vote of the people will be counted on Issue 2 in November."

Arkansas Supreme Court partially denies challenge to anti-casino ballot measure https://t.co/gZU5ET3zNj pic.twitter.com/p5Ca5aiPWU

— Little Rock Post (@LittleRockPost_) October 15, 2024

Allison Burum, spokesperson for the Arkansas Canvassing Compliance Committee, also released a statement, saying Issue 2 undermined the will of Arkansas voters.

"While disappointing, we still await the Court’s decision on the ballot title challenge," Burum's statement read.

She added, "Issue 2 is misleading, and its sole purpose is to undo the will of Arkansas voters by eliminating the fourth casino license they approved in 2018."

A second portion of the lawsuit is still undecided.