A small group that works hard to intimidate others…
A January 23, 2019, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette article, 15 letters take sides on rules for 4 casinos in Arkansas, included the names of the authors of letters sent to the Racing Commission. Apparently, some received backlash from others in the community.
The following letter to the Racing Commission was sent anonymously during a public comment period on a proposed rule change.
Dear Racing Commission,
We are anonymously writing you regarding the casino in Pope County. After other business owners in town were exposed by the Democrat Gazette, they have received back lash that we cannot afford. The small group that is so against the casino, works hard to intimidate those that are for it. Although we are not willing to include our names or business, we are very willing to give you our opinions on a casino in Pope County.
Arkansas voted to increase minimum wage and for a casino in Pope County. These things potentially help each other. If my business gets a small increase of business from the casino, this helps me be able to so drastically increase our minimum wage. If we do not get the casino that was voted on, this will be far harder to achieve.
The new administration has no intention of honoring the Arkansan vote for casinos. If you change the rules to only honor current elected officials, Pope county will never get a casino that the rest of the state wanted. Raising minimum wage is very hard for small business owners, but the glimmer of hope the casino promises could make this situation far less difficult.
Please do not change the rules so that Judge Gibson and Mayor Horton’s letter will no longer be valid.
We need this and they knew it.
Thank you,
A concerned Pope County business owner
01/26/2019