Current:Home > FinanceLawsuit filed over measure approved by Arkansas voters that revoked planned casino’s license-Angel Dreamer Wealth Society D1 Reviews & Insights
Lawsuit filed over measure approved by Arkansas voters that revoked planned casino’s license
View Date:2024-12-23 19:31:55
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Cherokee Nation Entertainment on Friday filed a lawsuit challenging a constitutional amendment Arkansas voters approved this week that revokes its license for a planned casino in the state.
The lawsuit filed in federal court claims the measure approved by voters on Tuesday violates its constitutional rights, and seeks to block its enforcement before it takes effect Nov. 13. The constitutional amendment blocks a casino that was planned in Pope County.
Pope County was one of four sites where casinos were allowed to be built under a constitutional amendment that voters approved in 2018. Casinos have already been set up in the other three locations.
“Cherokee Nation Entertainment is firmly committed to protecting its constitutional rights, defending its lawfully issued casino license, and safeguarding the substantial investments it made in good faith based on the establishment of the Pope County casino license under Amendment 100 in 2018,” Bart Calhoun, an attorney for Cherokee Nation Entertainment, said in a statement.
The lawsuit is the latest in a costly fight between the Cherokee Nation and the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, which had spent at least $30 million combined on the campaign over the ballot measure. The state Supreme Court last month rejected a lawsuit by the Cherokee Nation that sought to disqualify the measure from the ballot. The Choctaw Nation operates a casino near the Arkansas border.
“This legal action to attempt to bypass the voice of Arkansas voters is not unexpected,” said Hans Stiritz, spokesman for Local Voters in Charge, the campaign backed by the Choctaw Nation in favor of the measure. “But we are fully confident in the process that brought Issue 2 to the ballot. Arkansas voters have spoken clearly on Issue 2 and we expect it to stand.”
Attorney General Tim Griffin called the lawsuit “baseless” and said he was prepared to vigorously defend the state.
The proposed amendment removes the Pope County casino’s authorization from the state constitution. It also requires future casino licenses to be approved by voters in the county where it would be located. The constitution currently requires casino license applicants to submit letters of support from local officials.
Cherokee Nation Entertainment has said it plans to build a 50,000-square-foot (4,600-square-meter) casino northeast of Russellville, 60 miles (97 kilometers) northwest of Little Rock. Plans also call for a 200-room hotel, a conference center and an outdoor music venue.
veryGood! (5613)
Related
- California Gov. Gavin Newsom will spend part of week in DC as he tries to Trump-proof state policies
- 50 years ago, teenagers partied in the Bronx — and gave rise to hip-hop
- 6 killed in shooting at Hamburg, Germany, Jehovah's Witness hall, including an unborn child, police say
- North West and Selena Gomez’s Sister Gracie Teefey Are Feeling Saucy in Adorable TikToks
- NCT DREAM enters the 'DREAMSCAPE': Members on new album, its concept and songwriting
- Gen Z's Favorite Underwear Brand Dropped a Size-Inclusive, Comfortable Bra Collection
- Rapper Costa Titch dies after collapsing on stage in South Africa
- Sex Lives of College Girls' Reneé Rapp Recalls Terrible Time While Filming Season 1
- Bradley Cooper and Gigi Hadid Enjoy a Broadway Date Night and All that Jazz
- Garcelle Beauvais Has the Best Response to Lisa Rinna Saying RHOBH Will Be Boring Without Her
Ranking
- Olivia Munn Says She “Barely Knew” John Mulaney When She Got Pregnant With Their Son
- Wait Wait for June 24, 2023: Live from Tanglewood!
- Gen Z's Favorite Underwear Brand Dropped a Size-Inclusive, Comfortable Bra Collection
- Thinking she had just months to live, Laura Dern's mother 'spilled the beans'
- Fantasy football Week 11: Trade value chart and rest of season rankings
- Cruise control: An homage to the relentless reliability of 'Mission: Impossible'
- Stricter U.S. migration controls keep illegal border crossings at 2-year low — for now
- A lost world comes alive in 'Through the Groves,' a memoir of pre-Disney Florida
Recommendation
-
A pair of Trump officials have defended family separation and ramped-up deportations
-
TikTok, facing scrutiny, launches critical new data security measures in Europe
-
Trench Coats Are Spring's Most Versatile Outerwear Look— Shop Our Favorite Under $100 Styles
-
Saint John Paul II accused of protecting pedophiles, fueling debate over late pope's fast-track to sainthood
-
Bears fire offensive coordinator Shane Waldron amid stretch of 23 drives without a TD
-
Tom Brady’s Daughter Vivian Intercepts His Instagram Account in the Most Adorable Way
-
What to expect from 'Final Fantasy 16'
-
Katie Holmes' Surprisingly Affordable Necklace Is Back in Stock After Selling Out 4 Times