Arkansas or more specifically Pine Bluff will be richer for another gambling facility owned and operated by the Quapaw Nation. After being granted a gaming license to open a resort and casino on its territory located in Pine Bluff, the Quapaw Nation finally broke ground on a massive, $350 million-worth gambling facility which is expected to open its doors next year.
Pine Bluff is the state of Arkansas’ tenth biggest city. This picturesque city is located in the Jefferson County in the section of the Arkansas Timberlands and the Arkansas Delta. Just like other cities of the Delta Lowlands, Pine Bluff is rich with farmlands, creeks and streams with multiple large water bodies including the Arkansas River, Lake Langhofer and Lake Pine Bluff.
The Downstream People
The region is also home to the Quapaw Nation tribe. This tribe migrated from the Ohio Valley region to finally settle in the state of Arkansas. The tribe is federally recognized as the Quapaw Nation. Besides being interested in many cultural and economical prosperities, the Quapaw Nation also operates several gambling facilities including the Quapaw Casino situated in Miami, Downstream Casino Resort, while its Pine Bluff casino resort will probably open its doors soon.
The groundbreaking ceremony for Quapaw Nation’s new casino was held on the 5th of August. The ceremony gathered state and local officials alongside the Downstream Development Authority of the Quapaw Nation. According to the latest Associated Press release, the casino’s property is located around 38 miles of Little Rock. Its opening is set for June next year while the owner also plans on opening a three hundred-room entertainment and hotel venue in December 2020.
The same reports details that this Quapaw Nation’s casino and resort project is expected to create more than one thousand jobs. Its massive 80,000 square foot casino floor will probably include more than two thousand slot games alongside fifty table games. At the ceremony held on Monday. The state’s Lieutenant Governor, Mr. Griffin referred to the Jefferson County resort and casino a true game-changer.
In his speech he gave at the ceremony, Mr. Griffin who has held his position since 2015 also said that the brand-new casino and resort is something that this region was lacking. In his speech, he also said that the residents of this area are thrilled about the new job opportunity which will definitely follow this project. Regarding more employment options coming with the project, the state’s Attorney General Mrs. Rutledge said that over one thousand residents of the region will finally find employment and this is why the project is warmly welcomed by the state’s officials.
The Project with a Significant Immediate and Long-Term Positive Effect
The Saracen Development’s Chairman, Mr. Berrey also commented on the news saying that this extremely anticipated project will definitely provide a significant, immediate and long-term positive impact not only on the region of Pine Bluff and Jefferson County but also on the state of Arkansas.
It was also reported that the Quapaw Nation had already started working on a smaller casino facility which will include three hundred slot games. In fact, this mini gambling facility is the very first stage of the much-bigger project which will be carried out in the months to come.
