Arkansas casino may land in Johnson County

The county court voted 7-4 to approve the amendment that may result in a vacant casino licence ending up in Johnson.

US.- The Arkansas casino situation continues to evolve as Johnson County approved an amendment that allows a casino to come to the area. The authorities seek to take advantage of the potential rejection to a venue in both Jefferson and Pope counties.

After voters decided to pass a casino amendment in November 2018, Jefferson and Pope were cleared to host a gaming venue. However, a rule change is set to invalidate the latter’s posibilities, which is why Johnson has stepped forward.

Back when it was first voted in 2018, 56% of the county’s voters favoured a new casino in Arkansas, which is why Johnson County Judge Herman Houston voiced his support for the second amendment.

“I decided as county judge, it’s my responsibility to bring different ideas,” Houston said to THV11. “We don’t want to be stale or go backward; we want to go forward in this community.”

State Senator Ron Caldwell, who chairs the Senate State Agencies Committee, had adressed officials in order to say only voters can amend the Constitution. “(…) I wish to inform you that the General Assembly does not have the power to amend the Constitution and should not seek to claw away the power from voters by passing an amendment to Amendment 100 (or any other Amendments to the 1874 Constitution) with the intent of creating an issue for the Supreme Court,” he had written last week, in an unsuccesful attempt to stop the vote.