PRESS RELEASES
New Poll Indicates Pope County Residents Widely Favor a Casino Resort in Russellville
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (May 9, 2022) – Results of an April 2022 poll conducted by Impact Research, an industry-leading public opinion firm, show voters in Pope County – by double-digit margins – support a casino resort in Russellville and moving forward with the project as planned.
“It’s not often voters admit to changing their minds, but this data clearly shows a significant shift in sentiment since 2018, with a majority of Pope County voters now in favor of the casino resort project,” said Zac McCrary, partner at Impact Research. “Moreover, this data explicitly contradicts the current petition effort that seeks to eliminate the Pope County casino license on the sole premise that local voters don’t want it in their community.”
Key findings of the poll include:
- Most Pope County voters favor building a casino resort in the county. By a 15-point margin, registered Pope County voters support a casino resort (54% favor / 39% oppose). Russellville voters are even more in favor, with support outpacing opposition by 26 points (60% favor / 34% oppose).
- An overwhelming majority of Pope County voters, including some not initially in favor, believe this issue should be a settled matter and want the casino resort to move forward. After learning Arkansas voters approved the statewide amendment in 2018, an even greater share of Pope County voters – 66% – believe the casino resort should move forward, proving that an overwhelming majority believe this issue should be a settled matter even if some were not in favor of it initially.
- A clear majority of Pope County voters believe a casino resort would be good for the local economy. Close to six-in-ten Pope County voters think opening a casino resort would help the economy.
The Arkansas Tourism Alliance dedicates its resources to education and encouraging voters statewide to decline to sign the Fair Play for Arkansas petition.
To learn more about the Arkansas Tourism Alliance, visit www.arkansastourismalliance.com.
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Arkansas Tourism Alliance Created to Protect Arkansas Jobs and Tourism Revenue
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (March 8, 2022) – Little Rock Attorneys Dustin McDaniel and David Couch today announced the creation of a ballot question committee – Arkansas Tourism Alliance – to oppose efforts by Fair Play for Arkansas to amend the Arkansas Constitution and eliminate the Pope County casino license. The first campaign finance report filed today shows more than $1 million in cash on hand.
In 2018, Arkansans voted to keep tax and tourism dollars in the state, create billions of dollars in economic development, and generate thousands of jobs by authorizing casinos to be built in Crittenden County (West Memphis), Jefferson County (Pine Bluff), Garland County (Hot Springs) and Pope County (Russellville). Both McDaniel and Couch were instrumental in the drafting and passage of Amendment 100.
Today, three of four casinos are operational, and expansions planned and underway in Hot Springs, West Memphis and Pine Bluff demonstrate how fast this industry is expected to grow. Despite the pandemic, more than $160 million in tax revenue was generated between April 2019 and January 2022.
Construction on the state’s fourth casino is expected to begin this summer in Russellville despite delays due to litigation. Fair Play for Arkansas was formed to eliminate the Pope County casino license and is funded entirely by an out-of-state casino operator that was unsuccessful in its own pursuit of the license.
"Arkansans will see right through Fair Play for Arkansas’ greedy efforts to eliminate 1,200 good-paying jobs and take tourism dollars of our state,” said McDaniel. “Fair Play for Arkansas is merely a front for those who would rather see billions of dollars go to Oklahoma and not Arkansas.”
The primary mission of the Arkansas Tourism Alliance is to educate voters on the true purpose and effect of Fair Play Arkansas and to encourage voters to decline to sign its petition. To learn more about the Arkansas Tourism Alliance, visit www.arkansastourismalliance.com.
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