“Fair play”—or “fairplay” usually refers to sportsmanship.
Sportsmanship—an aspiration or ethos that an activity will be enjoyed for its own sake. This is with proper consideration for fairness, ethics, respect, and a sense of fellowship with one’s competitors.
“Fair Play for Arkansas—2022” has nothing to do with fairness; nothing to do with ethics, nothing to do with respect or fellowship.
Using several names for various purposes in recent years—Citizens for Local Choice, Citizens for a Better Pope County, Pope County Decides, Fair Play for Arkansas, and, now, Fair Play for Arkansas 2022—a small group in the Russellville area has fought against change for many, many years.
While they claim that their “Fair Play for Arkansas” fight is against the evil of casinos or because “we” are being forced to accept something the county voted against, they have had a history of opposition to any progress that doesn’t benefit them.
They want to remove Pope County from an amendment that the states’ voters approved in 2018.
The majority in Pope County now want the casino.
Not building the casino-resort will deny the state over $25M a year in future revenue generated from net gaming receipts alone, not to mention what will be lost for Pope County and local communities.
Their “Fair Play” is only fair for the small group that is pushing this—not for Arkansas—not for Pope County—not for Russellville—not for the River Valley—just for them.
Real sports aren’t they?