A divided Arkansas Supreme Court on Thursday upheld a Pulaski County circuit judge’s ruling that the Arkansas Racing Commission’s award of the Pope County casino license to Cherokee Nation Businesses and Legends Resort and Casino LLC violated Amendment 100 to the Arkansas Constitution and was unconstitutional.
In a 5-2 ruling, the high court affirmed Pulaski County Circuit Judge Tim Fox’s ruling.
Casey Castleberry, an attorney for Gulfside Casino Partnership, said in a written statement that “We are ecstatic about the Supreme Court’s affirmation of Judge Fox’s ruling that Legends was not a qualified applicant for the Pope County casino license.