In less than five minutes Wednesday morning and without discussion, the Arkansas Racing Commission voted unanimously to make final its July 30 decision to award the Mississippi-based Gulfside Casino Partnership a permit that will allow Gulfside to operate a casino in Pope County.
Competing permit applicant Legends Resort and Casino LLC, which is owned by Oklahoma-based Cherokee Nation Businesses LLC, had raised several objections and can petition the circuit court for judicial review of this decision, according to the order the commission approved.
One objection was that Gulfside’s letter of support from an outgoing county judge didn’t meet legal requirements, but a circuit judge ruled that it did and the commission agreed.
The commission rejected Legends’ objections and also voted to enter those objections into its record.
Another order the commission approved Wednesday without discussion found that Legends had demonstrated casino gaming experience as required by law and was a qualified applicant. Gulfside had alleged otherwise.
