The Choctaw Nation, which has opposed Texas casino expansion, is endorsing a proposal to limit casino expansion in Arkansas.
Local Voters in Charge, is seeking to repeal a controversial Pope County casino license allowing Cherokee Nation Entertainment to build Legends Resort & Casino northeast of Russellville, about 75 miles northwest of Little Rock.
It’s estimated that the planned $300 million project would provide more than $5 billion in economic impact over its first decade of operations.
Arkansans pushing back against Choctaw-led initiative
In addition to drawing bettors from Arkansas, the Choctaw and another casino-owning tribe, the Chickasaw Nation, depend on Texans crossing the Red River border for much of their casino revenue.
The American Gaming Association’s 2022 State of the State’s report noted that “while Oklahoma borders no less than five states that offer commercial casino gaming, the primary competitive threat to the state’s gaming market comes from potential legalization in Texas.”
Local Voters in Charge “blew past minimum petition requirements, submitting more than 162,000 signatures from all 75 counties” for a proposed constitutional amendment seeking to repeal the Pope County casino license and to “require that any new casino built in the state be approved in a countywide special election before a license can be issued,” the Oklahoma Voice reported.
The story also noted that an opponent of the initiative, Natalie Ghidotti of Investing in Arkansas, contends that the Choctaw Nation, as “a rejected out-of-state casino operator,” has lied “about the true intent” of the effort to revoke the license.
Ghidotti said, “Arkansas voters approved Amendment 100 in 2018, and a majority of Pope County voters still stand by that decision. This small group, funded by the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, is trying to rob Arkansans of thousands of jobs and shut down what will be historic economic growth for the community, region, and state.”
In its coverage of the casino debate, Talk Business & Politics quoted Ghidotti as saying:
“Don’t be fooled by this out-of-state ploy to repeal the casino measure. This group claims its effort is about local choice, but in reality, their proposal would completely eliminate the casino license in Pope County, going against the will of Arkansas voters. This attempt to repeal the Pope County casino license is being driven by the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, which controls a competing casino just across the state line near Fort Smith. Their mission is to keep Arkansas tourism and tax dollars flowing across state lines and into their pockets.”
Choctaw opposes legalizing casino gambling in Texas
Choctaw Casino in Durant is one of the closest resort casinos to the DFW metroplex and a AAA Four-Diamond property. Its success is largely built on Texas money, and it has taken steps, similar to those it’s now taking in Arkansas, to maintain that source of income.
In 2014, the tribe joined the Chickasaw Nation by contributing $450,000 to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.
Rice University professor Mark Jones, a political science fellow at the Baker Institute for Public Policy, said in a KPRC-TV interview, “One thing tribal groups want to avoid is casino gambling being legalized in Texas, and they know that by supporting Greg Abbott, they have a bulwark against casino gambling here in the Lone Star state.”
Clyde Barrow, political science chair at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and longtime research analyst of casino gambling, said in a report that Texans account for “the vast majority of gambling activity in Oklahoma,” with Lone Star State residents spending between $2.5 and $3 billion annually at Oklahoma casinos.
Not only would legalizing Texas casinos cut into Oklahoma casino revenue, it would also impact the workforce at casinos like Choctaw. Five years ago, Texans represented 60% of the workforce (2,300 jobs) at neighboring Winstar Resort. With the expansions made to Choctaw Casino, Texan workers surely contribute to the casino’s continued success.
If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em
Tribes like the Choctaw and Chickasaw haven’t just opposed Texas casino expansion. They’ve also found other ways to tap into the gambling spirit of North Texans. In 2011, a subsidiary of the Chickasaw Tribe purchased Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie. In 2021, The Choctaw purchased the naming rights to Globe Life Field in Arlington.
The Choctaw have forged a strong presence in North Texas since 2017. In a statement from the tribe, they delineate their North Texas affiliations:
Since 2017, Choctaw Casinos & Resorts’ sponsorship presence with North Texas sports teams and entities has grown over 800%. In 2021, Globe Life Park, the former home of the Texas Rangers, was rebranded to Choctaw Stadium and is the current home of the XFL Champion Arlington Renegades. Choctaw is also the presenting sponsor of the Invited Celebrity Classic (Irving) and currently holds “official and exclusive casino and resort” designations with: Texas Rangers, Dallas Stars, Dallas Mavericks, AT&T Byron Nelson, Dallas Marathon, Dickies Arena, the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo, Grandscape (retail/entertainment district), The American Rodeo and the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA).
The partnership with Grandscape Mall in North Dallas made the Choctaw the official casino and resort/sports betting partner for the entertainment venue. While this doesn’t give Grandscape shoppers any gambling and sports betting access, it does position the Choctaw to benefit from North Texas gamblers looking for a place to play. More importantly, it gives the tribe a presence in the state for a time when Texas would legalize casinos or sports betting.
Arkansas not as much of a threat to Oklahoma casinos
While Legends wouldn’t appear to present as much of a threat, it would still be a formidable destination resort.
According to the Arkansas Advocate, the plan is for “a 50,000-square-foot facility that will include 1,200 slot machines, a 200-room hotel, 15,000-square-foot multipurpose space, and an outdoor concert venue that can seat 5,000.”
Fort Smith, which lies on the Oklahoma border, is a roughly 80-mile drive to Russellville. It’s also a 180-mile drive from Durant and Choctaw Casino. That’s not quite a day trip to the casino for Arkansas residents. However, competition is competition.
