Quapaw Nation announces groundbreaking for casino on ancestral territory

Monday, July 29, 2019  

The Quapaw Nation will host a groundbreaking ceremony for its commercial casino in Arkansas on August 5. But gaming is going to debut much sooner than that.

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.

The chief's name is also going up on the Saracen Annex Q-Store, a 20,000-square-foot convenience store located across the street from the casino site, The Joplin Globe reported. The tribe purchased the existing business and will reopen it with 300 electronic gaming machines on August 5.

The casino is expected to open in the spring of 2020. Construction is expected to create about 1,000 jobs. 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 to hold groundbreaking for Arkansas casino (The Joplin Globe July 29, 2019)
Quapaw casino in Jefferson County breaks ground (The Arkansas Times July 19, 2019)
PBSBA hears update on casino project (The Pine Bluff Commercial July 19, 2019)
Casino plans shift into high gear (The Pine Bluff Commercial July 3, 2019)

Young people learn Quapaw history, crafting through hands-on experience (The Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette July 28, 2019)

Quapaw Nation returns home with gaming project in Arkansas (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)