Mayor Shirley Washington was an early supporter of initiatives to bring the Saracen Casino and Resort to Pine Bluff. She and Count Judge Gerald Robinson had to both sign off and appearing on the Oldies 1013 Morning Show, Washington explained how the casino being here came about, and why she supported it.
Washington said in 2016, as Mayor-elect, she was working with two members of the council and a fund raiser seeking money for the aquatic center when she was approached by John Berrey, then chief of the Quapaw Nation who offered to help. She said she told Berrey she couldn’t have that conversation then, and said she told him to talk to her when she became mayor.
She said she started having conversations with members of the Quapaw Nation and others.
Morning Show host Greg Horne mentioned the tax money the casino was paying, then said it is not just the revenue as the casino currently has created 800 to 900 jobs.
