Cherokee Nation and Quapaw Tribe continue to donate big to campaign

Tuesday, October 16, 2018

The Cherokee Nation and the Quapaw Tribe continue to spend big in order to legalize casinos in Arkansas.

According to The Arkansas Democrat Gazette, Cherokee Nation Businesses has donated a total of $1.56 million to Driving Arkansas Forward. The Quapaw Tribe's Downstream Development Authority has contributed even more -- a total of $2.76 million, the paper said.

The goal is to convince voters to approve Issue 4 on the November 6 ballot in order to authorize four casino licenses in the state. The tribes could then compete on the licenses, which would be operated pursuant to state law, rather than federal law.

Both tribes have plenty of experience in gaming. The Cherokee Nation operates nine Indian gaming facilities in neighboring Oklahoma, including one near the Arkansas border.

The Quapaw Tribe operates two casinos in Oklahoma, including one whose property reaches into Kansas and Missouri. The tribe also owns land in Arkansas and once had a reservation there.

The tribes previously collected enough to put Issue 4 on the ballot. Opponents tried to prevent the state from counting any ballots for the initiative but the Arkansas Supreme Court rejected the challenge in an October 11 decision.