A recent study ordered by Cherokee Nation Businesses (CNB) has concluded that if a resort and casino was built in Russellville, Arkansas, it would produce over $3 billion in economic activity for the state in the first decade alone. The Economic Impact Group was commissioned to conduct the study and the CNB released it as part of a proposal in mid-February.

“In forming our plans for Legends Resort and Casino, we turned to a network of experts to help us understand how this project would impact the region’s economy,” CNB CEO Chuck Garrett said. “It was fitting for us to engage this research through Dr. Russell Evans and EIG who are already very familiar with current CNB operations.”

This study compared data from six Oklahoma counties of similar size to Pope County, where the casino would be built. They explained in the study that these “micropolitan areas” are near large metropolitan sectors, but not adjacent to them.

They found that in the first year of casino operationsm 1750 jobs would be created with a total employee income of $43.3 million. They extrapolated this to suggest that over a 10-year period, over 21,000 jobs would be created with an employee income total of $530 million.