Tribes still need more signatures in push for casinos in Arkansas

Thursday, July 26, 2018  

After pouring more than $1.2 million into a gaming campaign in Arkansas, the Cherokee Nation and the Quapaw Tribe have come up short.

According to news reports, Driving Arkansas Forward turned in no more than 70,054 valid signatures in hopes of putting the issue on the November ballot. But they need at least 84,859 to qualify.

The race is not over, however. Since the valid signatures met a certain threshold, the Arkansas Secretary of State on Wednesday gave the casino backers a 30-day extension to come up with more.

"We are confident Arkansas voters will have the opportunity on Nov. 6 to keep tax revenue in the state and create jobs with new casino entertainment options in four regions of our state," an attorney for the effort told The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

Thanks to everyone who signed our petition! We submitted more than 96,000 signatures today and await validation. If you haven't signed yet you still can! #JobsRoadsLowerTaxes #Arpx pic.twitter.com/uRYB7JUecM

— DrivingArkansasForward (@DriveARForward) July 6, 2018

Cherokee Nation Businesses already donated $525,300 to the committee. The Downstream Development Authority of the Quapaw Tribe donated another $707,000 and spent more than $180,000 last month on a petition canvassing firm.

Both tribes hope to compete for a casino license if voters approve the referendum. Up to four could be awarded.

The Cherokee Nation operates nine Indian gaming facilities in Oklahoma, including one near the Arkansas border. The tribe previously contributed $6 million to authorize gaming in Arkansas.

The Quapaw Tribe owns land in Arkansas and once had a reservation there. A land-into-trust application for an ancestral property has been pending at the Bureau of Indian Affairs for more than three years but the tribe has pledged not to seek gaming there.

The tribe operates the Downstream Casino Resort and the Quapaw Casino on its land in Oklahoma. A portion of Downstream also extends into Kansas and Missouri.

Read More on the Story:
Backers of proposal to add 4 casinos in Arkansas win extension (The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette July 26, 2018)
Casino supporters given more time to get signatures (The Associated Press and The Pine Bluff Commercial-Appeal July 25, 2018)

Cherokee Nation and Quapaw Tribe spend big on casino push in Arkansas (July 17, 2018)
Quapaw Tribe sees another setback with gaming bid in Arkansas (March 14, 2018)
Quapaw Tribe joins partnership to authorize up to three casinos in Arkansas (January 9, 2018)
Quapaw Tribe blames non-Indian track for opposition in Arkansas (March 4, 2016)
Quapaw Tribe seeks to acquire more ancestral land in Arkansas (February 18, 2016)
Quapaw Tribe hits snag in agreement for ancestral Arkansas land (January 21, 2016)
Quapaw Tribe works on agreement for ancestral Arkansas land (November 10, 2015)
Quapaw Tribe still vows no casino on ancestral land in Arkansas (November 3, 2015)
Quapaw Tribe still willing to sign no-casino pledge in Arkansas (August 31, 2015)