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Arkansas Mayor Refuses to Support Casino
Forth Smith, Arkansas Mayor Ray Baker made known Thursday that he is "deeply concerned" about a proposed riverside casino by the United Keetoowah Band.
An anti-gambling rally was staged at the River Park Thursday where Baker called on the group that sold the property to the Keetowah Band, The Westphal Group Investment Company, to take another road of development.
Baker said that he is speaking not out of obligation to the city board of directors or the city administration. According to him, his sentiments stem out of his personal concern as a mayor.
The United Keetowah Band purchased the site of their proposed casino, a 10-acre land north of the River Parks event building along the Arkansas River.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs has to grant the Keetowah tribe the permission to place the land in trust before the tribe could seek permission from the National Indian Gaming Commission to operate a casino. The tribe has already filed an application with the BIA.
According to Dr. J.P. Bell of the Friends of Fort Smith, the CEO of the Westphal Group said that he would not be building a casino in Fort Smith if local residents are against it.
However, Westphal has let on that a majority of the residents seem to be in favor of having the casino based on his personal interaction with them. Moreover, a poll conducted by a local TV station has shown that Fort Smith residents are for the casino in a 2 to 1 ratio.
Monday, 24. 2006
Gerald Kernighan