- Cherokee Nation Entertainment was awarded the Pope County casino license in Arkansas.
- Construction on the new Legends Resort and Casino will begin in a few months in Russellville, Arkansas.
- Cherokee Nation Entertainment’s major financial investment expects to bring $5 billion in economic impact to Arkansas over the course of 10 years.
RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – After years of court battles over the winner, the Arkansas Racing Commission finally awarded the state’s final casino license to Cherokee National Entertainment (CNE). Construction on the proposed Legends Resort and Casino providing blackjack in Pope County is expected to begin two to three months after the permits are finalized.
Cherokee Nation Entertainment became the sole applicant considered after Gulfside Casino Partnership’s application was rejected due to a lack of support from the local government. Gulfside needed support from a court judge, which was ultimately obtained by CNE with approval from Pope County Judge Ben Cross.
What Will The New Pope County Casino Look Like?
The Legends Resort and Casino will sit on a 325-acre lot in Russellville, Arkansas and offer a 200-room hotel, an outdoor music venue, and 50,000 square feet of gaming space including 1,200 slot machines and in-person blackjack in Arkansas. The massive $300-million investment from CNE expects to create $5 billion worth of economic impact on Arkansas in 10 years through the addition of job opportunities and revenue from taxes.
They also have a $38.8 million economic development agreement with Pope County that contributes $2.1 million to the Russellville Economic Development Alliance and a charitable foundation of their choice. The construction process is expected to take 18 months, so without any impending litigation, locals should expect the casino to open in February or March of 2025.
CNE has more than 30 years of experience and generates over $1 billion in annual revenue. There are nine Cherokee casinos with Oklahoma blackjack, as well as a Tunica, Mississippi location and now Russellville, Arkansas.