A Pulaski County Circuit Judge ruled Thursday that the State Racing Commission acted improperly when it awarded a casino license to Cherokee Nation Businesses and Legends Resort in Pope County.
In a four-page order, Fox said Legends Resort and Casino “had no prior experience conducting casino gambling” as required by Amendment 100, which authorized four casinos in the state, including one in Jefferson Count and one in Pope County.
While the Saracen Casino in Jefferson County is open and operating and producing revenue for Pine Bluff and Jefferson County, Pope County is still without a casino.
Fox reversed the commission’s decision and said it is “null and void.”
The ruling by Fox followed an appeal from Gulfside Casino Partnership, whose application to operate a casino in Pope Count was rejected by the commission.
Fox’s ruling also said the racing commission erred when it jointly issued the license to Legends and Cherokee Nation Businesses because the amendment requires a single casino license applicant.
