Proposal for three state casinos makes ballot

A proposed constitutional amendment to authorize up to three casinos in southwestern and Northwest Arkansas -- and controlled by two Missouri businessmen's companies -- will be on the Nov. 8 ballot, the secretary of state's office said Thursday.

Republican Secretary of State Mark Martin certified the proposed amendment for the general election ballot after he determined that its supporters turned in 100,977 valid signatures of registered voters in Arkansas, said the office's director of elections, Leslie Bellamy. A proposed amendment requires 84,859 valid signatures to qualify for the 2016 ballot.

The proposed amendment will be Issue 5 on the ballot, Bellamy wrote in a letter to attorney Cal McCastlain of Dover, Dixon, Horne PLLC, which represents Arkansas Wins in 2016 and the Arkansas Winning Initiative Inc., the groups that are promoting the amendment.

The proposed amendment would authorize one casino each in Boone, Miller and Washington counties.

Read more: http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2016/sep/02/proposal-for-three-state-casinos-makes-/?f=news-politics