LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — The Arkansas Supreme Court is allowing an Oklahoma-based tribe to intervene in a lawsuit by a Mississippi company over a casino license in Pope County.
The court on Thursday overturned a prior ruling by Circuit Judge Tim Fox and allows Cherokee Nation Businesses of Catoosa, a subsidiary of the Cherokee Nation, to intervene in the lawsuit, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported.
Fox previously denied the tribe permission to intervene in the legal action by Mississippi-based Gulfside Casino Partnership against the state’s Department of Finance and Administration and the Racing Commission.
Gulfside’s lawsuit seeks to overturn a rule and state law that an application for a casino license include a letter of support by the current county judge.
Gulfside’s application is supported by Pope County’s previous county judge, who signed the letter shortly before his term ended, but it was submitted months later.
Cherokee Nation Business has the support of the current county judge.
The lawsuit is among several pending or on appeal involving the two entities competing for the license, which is one of four approved by voters in 2018.
