"In the world of Indian gaming, a pair of aces is a winning hand — if those aces happen to be governors.

Last week, the news came down that the Eastern Oklahoma office of the Bureau of Indian Affairs had recommended against allowing the United Keetoowah Band to have a casino on the banks of the Arkansas River in Fort Smith.

The door isn’t bolted shut on the proposal, but it’s closed now and would take something special to get it open at this point.

During a comment period, 3,377 folks petitioned the BIA office in support of the casino. Six of seven Fort Smith city directors signed on as well.

A Times Record editorial also opined in favor of the proposal. Our stance on the subject is that this area already has casino gaming, but we don’t receive any of the benefits because the nearby casinos are in Oklahoma. We also stated that a casino along the river front would spur development and that without a catalyst of some sort, riverfront development will continue as it has been in the past: nonexistent."

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Editorial: Casino Plan Trumped By Pair Of Aces (The Fort Smith Times Record 7/16)