Quapaw Nation returns home with gaming project in Arkansas

Thursday, June 13, 2019  

The Quapaw Nation has won approval to open a commercial casino on ancestral territory in Arkansas.

The $350 million Saracen Casino Resort [PDF: Tribal Presentation] will be located on a 345-acre site in Pine Bluff in Jefferson County. The development is named in honor of Chief Saracen, who was laid to rest in the city in 1832 at the age of 97.

“We view ourselves as community developers. That means we develop a commercial enterprise for the right reasons -- for the betterment of communities and their citizens,” Chairman John Berrey said in a press release on Thursday. “I believe the people of Pine Bluff are already seeing that. They understand this is where we came from; this is a homecoming for us.”

Saracen Development, LLC, a tribal entity, was the sole applicant for the gaming license in Jefferson County. The application was approved at a meeting of the Arkansas Racing Commission on Thursday.

Construction is slated to begin immediately and will create about 1,000 jobs, according to the tribe. The work is expected to take 11 months.

“We were granted the state’s casino license today, and we are digging in -- literally as we speak -- to build a showcase of a resort that will supercharge the region’s economy and excite the people of Arkansas,” Berrey said.

The casino is expected to open in the spring of 2020. The tribe plans to hire about 1,100 permanent employees.

Voters in Arkansas approved gaming at four locations, including one in Jefferson County, through passage of Issue 4 on the November 2018 ballot. The tribe was a primary backer of the initiative.

The tribe operates two Indian gaming facilities in Oklahoma -- the Quapaw Casino in Miami, and the Downstream Casino Resort in Quapaw. Downstream also extends into the neighboring states of Kansas and Missouri but gaming does not currently occur on those portions of the property.

Quapaw Nation granted license for $350 million Arkansas casino (The Joplin Globe June 13, 2019)
Saracen Casino Resort in Pine Bluff gets license approval from Arkansas Racing Commission (FOX16 June 13, 2019)
Pope County casino applications rejected as incomplete. Quapaw casino approved in Jefferson County (The Arkansas Times June 13, 2019)

Quapaw Nation ready to break ground on commercial casino in Arkansas (February 25, 2019)
Quapaw Nation reaches deal to sell land as it pursues casino in Arkansas (January 16, 2019)
Quapaw Nation awaits decision on gaming license in Arkansas (December 12, 2018)
Quapaw Nation wins endorsement to operate commercial casino in Arkansas (December 4, 2018)
Quapaw Nation moves forward with casino bid after victory at polls (November 8, 2018)
Cherokee Nation and Quapaw Tribe secure victory with gaming initiative (November 7, 2018)
Election Day: #NativeVote18 races to watch across the nation (November 6, 2018)
Cherokee Nation and Quapaw Tribe spend nearly $6 million on gaming campaign (October 31, 2018)
Cherokee Nation and Quapaw Tribe continue to donate big to campaign (October 16, 2018)
Tribes still need more signatures in push for casinos in Arkansas (July 26, 2018)
Cherokee Nation and Quapaw Tribe spend big on casino push in Arkansas (July 17, 2018)
Quapaw Tribe sees another setback with gaming bid in Arkansas (March 14, 2018)
Quapaw Tribe joins partnership to authorize up to three casinos in Arkansas (January 9, 2018)
Quapaw Tribe blames non-Indian track for opposition in Arkansas (March 4, 2016)
Quapaw Tribe seeks to acquire more ancestral land in Arkansas (February 18, 2016)
Quapaw Tribe hits snag in agreement for ancestral Arkansas land (January 21, 2016)
Quapaw Tribe works on agreement for ancestral Arkansas land (November 10, 2015)
Quapaw Tribe still vows no casino on ancestral land in Arkansas (November 3, 2015)
Quapaw Tribe still willing to sign no-casino pledge in Arkansas (August 31, 2015)