Another Tunica casino to close this summer
TUNICA, Miss. — Penn National Gaming, Inc. announced Tuesday plans to close the Resorts Casino in Tunica, Mississippi effective June 30, subject to regulatory approvals.
Penn National acquired the operations of Resorts Casino Tunica, along with Bally’s Casino Tunica, in March 2017. Penn National leases the underlying real property associated with the two casinos from Gaming and Leisure Properties, Inc.
pursuant to the terms of the Company’s existing Master Lease with GLPI. In addition, Penn National operates Hollywood Casino Tunica, located adjacent to Resorts Casino.
“With our acquisition of Resorts Casino as part of the two property deal, we knew we were acquiring an aging barge in need of significant capital improvements,” said Al Britton, Penn National Sr. Vice President of Regional Operations. “While we did everything in our control to keep the property profitable over the last two years, increased competition from recent gaming expansion in Arkansas continues to drive the property’s business volumes lower. After exploring all viable alternatives, we are left with the difficult decision to close the business.”
***
LITTLE ROCK — Authorities briefly closed the Broadway Bridge after a group of people protesting a deadly Little Rock police shooting gathered in the streets outside City Hall on Tuesday.
Little Rock police tweeted shortly after 4 p.m. that the south entrance to the bridge at Markham and Broadway streets had been closed.
North Little Rock police spokesman Sgt. Amy Cooper said the department had closed the north side of the bridge at the request of Little Rock police.
The bridge was reopened shortly before 4:40 p.m.
Images posted online show Little Rock police standing in a line facing protesters carrying signs. The protesters chanted, “no justice, no peace.” The protest was peaceful. No arrests were reported.
The group told reporters they were protesting the police killing of Bradley Blackshire, a 30-year-old man who was fatally shot by Little Rock police officer Charles Starks in February.
No charges have been filed in the killing. Prosecutors are reviewing the case.
Little Rock Police Chief Keith Humphrey, in his second day on the job, met with the protesters. “I respect their concerns,” he said, “but encouraged them to allow due process.”
The protesters called for the creation of a citizen review board to independently investigate accusations of police misconduct. It also called for Little Rock police officers to be equipped with body cameras.
Protesters said they want Starks to be fired from the department and charged in Blackshire’s death.
***
Two killed in ‘random’ mall shooting
GATLINBURG, Tenn. — A 21-year-old man in Tennessee opened fire apparently at “random” outside an outlet mall near Great Smoky Mountains National Park, killing a woman and wounding a man before turning the gun on himself, police said.
The gunman was identified as Leon Steven Jones of Newport-Sevierville, Tennessee.
The woman was 24-yearold Olivia Katel Cunningham of York, Pennsylvania.
The wounded man, 75year-old John Marr of Templeton, Massachusetts, was rushed to University of Tennessee Medical Center. His condition wasn’t known.
Investigators said it appeared the shooter didn’t know either victim, adding that none of them were related. All three were shot with a semiautomatic handgun, Sevierville police spokesman Bob Stahlke said.
“I don’t know if he was going to shoot one and two people and then do what he did, or if his intent was to shoot more. I just don’t know. But all we can do in law enforcement is to get here as quick as we can.
And this situation was over when we got here,” Stahlke said, as the Knoxville News Sentinel reported.
The police spokesman said there no longer was any threat, and the Tanger Outlets mall remained open except for a small area cordoned off as a crime scene.
