Lordoflords; there are very few on this forum that enjoy personal attacks; I could name a few, but so as not to bring me down to their level, I won't name them. Ignore them anyway if they do; they are just showing their lack of knowledge, and respect for their fellow Americans. And I'm not attacking you; are you really God! If you aren't, then you are using His handle.

why are people so against casinos it doesnt make no sense no matter how you put it!!! here in hot springs the billionaire that owns the race track has casinos in their!!!! What he is the only one to have a gambling facility not fair at all!!! i say get rid of the horse racing putting those poor animals through that abuse and bring on the casinos where people can actually have a chance of winning a good chunk of money!!!It is not happening at the casino we currently have nor is it happening with the lotto!!

DONT THINK THERE WILL BE A CASINO IN ARKANSAS.HOT SPRINGS WILL HAVE TO BE UP AND GOING FIRST.

As always the state of arkansas is always last,the state should have step up tp the plate years ago ans set all this up them self$$$$ would stay in state and have they would have control,but no to layed back stupid so let someone from Texas come in and do it,if it makes it to nov it will pass.thanks BEBEE

maybe I should have said the reality never got close to the sales pitch?

and HSMom, they promised a lot - support for schools, better roads, better jobs. What they delivered was better roads with more traffic lights in front of the casinos, and a dependent culture - the local governments became dependent on the money to the point the got tunnel vision. Other jobs were lost when long-time businesses couldn't afford to stay any more. Property values went up in the areas surrounding the casinos (the Beau Rivage was a $2-billion property), and local businesses and private homeowners had to pony up big bucks in increased property taxes or move. The sales pitch never got close to the reality.

...and over 15 years later, the roads still were not built up anywhere near close enough to handle the casino traffic - and the casinos controlled the new traffic lights. If you think traffic is bad now... my 20 minute commute to work doubled after the casinos went in. And they did down there and will up here use 'eminent domain' to take properties because it's for the 'greater economic good' of the area.

I lived in South Mississippi when the casinos came in. Most good paying jobs (management) go to out-of-staters. All the casinos brought in were slightly-higher-than-minimum-wage jobs. Crime went up. Service in service industries went down as all those having trouble getting a better paying job went to the casinos, and those that couldn't make change started working in fast food. Prices went up, as those small businesses who tried to stay in business had to pay higher wages, which meant charging more for their goods or firing some employee(s). LOTS of people lost everything hoping for that one big win. People will gamble their rent/mortgage money, food money, anything they've got. People lost their homes, their families, their jobs (not paying debts can lead to job loss) depending on the occupation. Then competition forced closure of some of the casinos, and unemployment went up again. It's a bad cycle, and was not good for South Mississippi (in my opinion). I was raised here in Arkansas and think the balance is just about right - if people want to gamble, they have to go to where it is. If it's everywhere, it's too easy and too costly. They won't turn this into Vegas- more likely a cheap version of Atlantic City - with all the organized crime that goes with it.

I fully support casinos in Arkansas, but I do not support the fact that only one person can have the sole right to operate them. Let the real casinos come in and set up shop. Thats where the money will come from. Ms. Todds plan is only to benefit her. Lets all face it, casinos arent successful by letting people win all the time, but Ms. Todd's planned "casinos" are not what we all think of when we think of casinos.

It's not just that these would be monopolies, there would be practically no oversight to them at all. These would be legal, back room gambling joints. No thank you. The Ledge needs to get off their lazy butts and prevent the possibility of these types of establishments, because most voters haven't read the fine print. I like to gamble, but if you're going to allow full-fledged casinos her in Arkansas, I say let Oaklawn and Southland go for it. They're State regulated and are run properly. It is bad business to let someone come in, call all their own shots, and laugh all the way to the bank.