Casinos and Gambling in Ark

[vbfl85]

I found an interesting article on KTHV's website that talks about a proposal for gaming sites(casinos) and a lottery. The proposal would establish the Arkansas Educational Trust Fund and an Arkansas Gaming Commission. The casino locations would be in Boone, Crittenden, Garland, Jefferson, Miller, Pulaski and Sebastian counties. I think that Boone, Crittenden, and Miller counties could do well because they could feed off people from Branson/Springfield, Memphis, and Texarkana Tx respectively. They now need 80,570 signatures to get it on the ballot.

KTHV: Casino Petition Gets Green Light

[johnnydr87]

I found an interesting article on KTHV's website that talks about a proposal for gaming sites(casinos) and a lottery. The proposal would establish the Arkansas Educational Trust Fund and an Arkansas Gaming Commission. The casino locations would be in Boone, Crittenden, Garland, Jefferson, Miller, Pulaski and Sebastian counties. I think that Boone, Crittenden, and Miller counties could do well because they could feed off people from Branson/Springfield, Memphis, and Texarkana Tx respectively. They now need 80,570 signatures to get it on the ballot.

KTHV: Casino Petition Gets Green Light

The bad thing about this is that it allows only ONE company (the one funding this initiative) the right to build casinos.

[vbfl85]

So this ONE company would run the lottery as well? Wouldnt the Arkansas Gaming Commission have control over the entire situation?

[johnnydr87]

So this ONE company would run the lottery as well?

I didn't say that.

The attorney general's office has approved the popular name and ballot title submitted by a Texas man, Michael Wasserman, for a constitutional amendment to legalize a state lottery and casino gambling. Several previous efforts had been turned down. Now we'll see if he can gather the 80,000 or so signatures needed to get it on the ballot. This is one of those special interest deals, by the way. The amendment would allow his company, and only his company, to build seven casinos, in Sebastian, Pulaski, Garland, Miller, Crittenden, Boone and Jefferson counties.

[Mith242]

I believe I've heard one of the candidates running for lieutenant governor trying to get a lottery passed to raise more money for education.

[tim2462]

I hope this gambling amendmant does get passed. I'm really sick of hearing the state complain about not having money. We have way too much tax money leaving the state everyday and paying for other people's state improvements. The christians that complain need to realize that we have the right to do what we want, it's called free will. We do not have to live our lives by their belief system. I've been to casinos on every border. The majority of the license plates are always from AR. It's amazing how many of these "christians" are running over there, but don't want it here. Just plain idiocy. They always bring up this argument that casinos break families....that's rediculous. Sure, just like anything that costs money, it can take a toll, if you let it. I like to go to the casino, but like most people, I go with a certain amount of money that I can spend, when it's gone, it's gone. It's my business how I spend my money, it's not up to a bunch of hypocrit so-called christians.

One aspect a lot of people fail to see is how many senior citizens go to these casinos just to give them something to do. I"ve sat next to a lot of them at slot machines and have had some of the best conversations. They're lonely and going to the casino is all a lot of them have to look forward to. It keeps a lot of them out of depression. That isn't something you'll hear talked about...but for those of you that have been, you know what I'm talking about. I really don't care if that guy that proposed this amendment will be the only one to build casinos. Others will follow in the future. Another thing, these are not just going to be casinos, but huge resorts...with 700 room hotels and family attractions. He says you won't even have to gamble to have a good time. Having 7 of them spread across the state in such strategic locations is just what we need. I am going to contact him and try to help in the effort any way I can. He is getting started in April.

[skirby]

I believe I've heard one of the candidates running for lieutenant governor trying to get a lottery passed to raise more money for education.

I think he is trying to get the teacher union vote because his plan includes a $5,000 raise for them. He would allow a lottery but is against casinos. Another example of the state controlling the take from gambling monies but a private or public company cannot.

[bigboyz05]

I hope this gambling amendmant does get passed. I'm really sick of hearing the state complain about not having money. We have way too much tax money leaving the state everyday and paying for other people's state improvements. The christians that complain need to realize that we have the right to do what we want, it's called free will. We do not have to live our lives by their belief system. I've been to casinos on every border. The majority of the license plates are always from AR. It's amazing how many of these "christians" are running over there, but don't want it here. Just plain idiocy. They always bring up this argument that casinos break families....that's rediculous. Sure, just like anything that costs money, it can take a toll, if you let it. I like to go to the casino, but like most people, I go with a certain amount of money that I can spend, when it's gone, it's gone. It's my business how I spend my money, it's not up to a bunch of hypocrit so-called christians.

One aspect a lot of people fail to see is how many senior citizens go to these casinos just to give them something to do. I"ve sat next to a lot of them at slot machines and have had some of the best conversations. They're lonely and going to the casino is all a lot of them have to look forward to. It keeps a lot of them out of depression. That isn't something you'll hear talked about...but for those of you that have been, you know what I'm talking about. I really don't care if that guy that proposed this amendment will be the only one to build casinos. Others will follow in the future. Another thing, these are not just going to be casinos, but huge resorts...with 700 room hotels and family attractions. He says you won't even have to gamble to have a good time. Having 7 of them spread across the state in such strategic locations is just what we need. I am going to contact him and try to help in the effort any way I can. He is getting started in April.

Preach on man. You rock! I agree with you 1,000%! I remember the last time the gambling thing went on the ballot. Christian groups, some from Mississippi and Louisiana, were talking about gambling is immoral but, I was wondering to myself why are these people worried about what's going on in Arkansas. Then it hit me that the states these people came from were lucritive in the gaming industry and were just here trying to protect their "pot of gold". Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against Christians, I'm one myself. If Christians don't want anything to do with casino's then don't go to any. Also, these casino resorts will bring A LOT of jobs to the state. The casino to be built near Texarkana for example, will generate anywhere between 3,000-4,000 jobs. That may not be a big deal to opponents of this but, it's a hell of a big deal to people across the state who are in need of well paying jobs.

[dimebag1980]

Incase anyone is interested, I was able to talk the managing editor of the Texarkana Gazette into sending me the renderings for all the proposed Arkansas casinos. I hope everyone can view PDF files. Otherwise, let me know and I will try to extract them as a different format.

see them here in PDF format

[skirby]

Incase anyone is interested, I was able to talk the managing editor of the Texarkana Gazette into sending me the renderings for all the proposed Arkansas casinos. I hope everyone can view PDF files. Otherwise, let me know and I will try to extract them as a different format.

see them here in PDF format

Thanks, I saw them on a TV report but there was not much detail.

[Aporkalypse]

This is ridiculous, we can't sell our gambling franchise rights to one man.

[johnnydr87]

These renderings are obviously some whimsical fantasies to reel in people.

Why the hell are there so many renderings with palm trees? Does he plan to build 4/10 casinos in Lake Village? Even then, palm trees are a stretch.

You can't expect me to believe that they made these renderings especially for Arkansas. I'm wondering if they took "Las Vegas" out and replaced it with Arkansas.

[johnnydr87]

Ok, so I just scrolled through the pictures again. Lo' and behold, I'm right.

If you look at the bottom right on some of them, the artist dated them: '99 and '98 (of the ones I could read)

7-8 years ago....

I'm guessing they throw these ideas to every market the propose to...

[Mith242]

Some of those rendeirngs seem way over the top, at least in my opinion. I'm not much of a gambling person so I haven't been to Tunica but they don't have anything like most of those renderings do they? Johnny could be right on them being 'generic' renderings to get people excited. I've seen quite a few casinos driving around in New Mexico. I don't think any of them looked anything like those renderings at all. Granted they're Native American casinos, but I wouldn't think it would make that big of a difference. I don't know if there's enough population in Arkansas to support any 'grandiose' type of casinos in those renderings. Although I admit not all were quite like that. I could probably see the first one somewhere in Arkansas.

[skirby]

If you are the only game in town who knows what will be built. Make them over the top. If he can get it approved let him do what he wants.

[dimebag1980]

These renderings are obviously some whimsical fantasies to reel in people.

Why the hell are there so many renderings with palm trees? Does he plan to build 4/10 casinos in Lake Village? Even then, palm trees are a stretch.

You can't expect me to believe that they made these renderings especially for Arkansas. I'm wondering if they took "Las Vegas" out and replaced it with Arkansas.

A whimsical fantasy, yes... for sure. That's my thought. Even Atlantic City casinos aren't quite that elaborate. Those drawings are on the level of Vegas.

The Eldorado Casino (formerly Hollywood) here had palm trees but ended up replacing them with fake ones because the real ones kept dying... and it's semi-tropical most of the year.

[dimebag1980]

If you are the only game in town who knows what will be built. Make them over the top. If he can get it approved let him do what he wants.

Nothing wrong with going over the top; it's more a matter of can he deliver. Is he proposing these elaborate resorts and going to wind up building something like what you see attached to the truck stops here, or is he for real? That's the true question. If he really, truly has the means, then certainly... go for it. I know the gaming control board here in Louisiana actually investigates every single company wanting to do business in this state, and the assets must be in place. Otherwise they dismiss it as a pipe dream and tell them to go smoke their pipe somewhere else.

[johnnydr87]

If you are the only game in town who knows what will be built. Make them over the top. If he can get it approved let him do what he wants.

I disagree. If he doesn't have any competition, he doesn't have to make it elaborate and/or stunning. He can build as cheaply and efficiently as he wants.

We can't give rights to one guy.

Now if it is guaranteed that he'll build as elaborately as those sketches...then I guess I would be indifferent if one company owns all the casinos. But that's not going to happen, unless they turn Hot Springs into the next gambling mecca.

[Mith242]

Yeah I think I have to agree with Johnny here. As much as I do think we should allow gambling instead of sending everyone across the state line to do it. I'm don't really like the idea of giving just one guy all that control.

[mcheiss]

Ok, so I just scrolled through the pictures again. Lo' and behold, I'm right.

If you look at the bottom right on some of them, the artist dated them: '99 and '98 (of the ones I could read)

7-8 years ago....

I'm guessing they throw these ideas to every market the propose to...

I agree, no way this is coming to Arkansas, I'd even be suprised if Vegas took some of these. Personally, It seems to fit an International market to me.

[dimebag1980]

I agree, no way this is coming to Arkansas, I'd even be suprised if Vegas took some of these. Personally, It seems to fit an International market to me.

Most definitely. How would an Asian-themed casino fit in somewhere in Arkansas? Not even Vegas has that... I could be wrong but I've never seen or heard of one there. And the London, England theme for Texarkana... where did THAT idea come from!??!

[johnnydr87]

It's actually insulting that they even made these renderings to present to us Arkansas-folk.

It's really misleading.