Southland, West Memphis break ground on new animal shelter

Construction expected to start soon on $1.7M project

By DON WILBURN

donaldfwilburn@gmail.com

Members of the West Memphis community, city government and animal lovers alike came together this past Tuesday for the long awaited groundbreaking ceremony of the new and much needed West Memphis Animal Shelter.

Southland Casino Hotel in West Memphis has made a signi_cant donation of $1.7 million to fund the construction of a new animal shelter. The casino, in collaboration with parent company Delaware North and the Arkansas Greyhound Kennel Association, announced the generous gift which will be used to establish a larger shelter at the former site of the Mid-South Greyhound Adoption Center.

“We are still waiting on bids to come in and to be approved.” said Tracy Catt, a West Memphis City Councilman and the chairman of the animal shelter, “Two of existing kennels will be remodeled, but I’m optimistic that construction will begin within the next three months.”

It is expected that initially the city will pay for

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It was all smiles as several members of the community, local government and Southland joined together for the groundbreaking ceremony. From Left to Right: Senator Reginald Murdoch, Louis Jacobs Jr, Robert Thorne Jr, Carolyn and Ness Seacrest, Osi Imomoh, Mayor Marco McClendon, Kerry Facello, Tracy Catt and Tyler Ginn

Photo by Don Wilburn SHELTER

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renovations to the kennels themselves as well as the new welcome center and then be subsequently reimbursed by Southland with an annual payment of $214,000 a year over seven years. Any further costs incurred by the city will presumably be paid for by taxpayers.

To mark the occasion, Southland and West Memphis representatives came together for a groundbreaking ceremony for the new shelter. The facility is set to be named after Ness Sechrest, the chairman emeritus of the Southland board of directors, and his wife Carolyn.

President and General Manager of Southland Casino Hotel, Osi Imomoh, expressed his pride in announcing the donation. “Today, it brings us immense pride to announce a $1.7 million gift to the City of West Memphis, earmarked for the establishment of a new and significantly larger animal shelter,” said Imomoh. “In tribute to their unwavering commitment to animal well-being and this community, the shelter will bear the name ‘The Carolyn and Ness Sechrest Animal Shelter and Adoption Center.’” Imomoh explained that Ness had identified the challenges faced by the existing facility in terms of location and maintenance. The decision to expand the animal shelter was made after the conclusion of greyhound racing at Southland, which left the casino with an empty greyhound adoption facility after successfully finding homes for all the remaining greyhounds.

“The Jacobs family and the Southland Board unanimously agreed that this facility would serve as an ideal location for a new and improved animal shelter,” Imomoh said. “Then the effort involved key partners such as the city, led by Mayor Marco McClendon, and our valued partners at the Greyhound Kennel Owners Association, who graciously donated $40,000 to support the project.”

West Memphis Mayor Marco McClendon expressed his gratitude for the generous donation. “Thanks to the incredible generosity of Southland Casino Hotel and the Jacobs family, this contribution not only demonstrates the strong commitment that Southland Casino has for our community but also reflects our shared vision for animals in need,” McClendon said. “The new Carolyn & Ness Sechrest Animal Shelter and Adoption Center will be a beacon of hope for and a testament to their love and compassion for the animals and people of our city.”

“I’m just happy to see Southland still doing something for the dogs and even other animals” said a former greyhound trainer present at the groundbreaking, “I’m happy that the old kennels are still getting some use and, well, being used for what they were built for. It’s nice to know there will still be some life in them and that they are going to a good cause.”

Southland Park began as a dog track in 1956. It was the only gambling venue in the Mid-South region and drew visitors from several nearby states. After Arkansas voters, in 2018, approved a constitutional amendment to permit casino operations in four locations in the state, including West Memphis, Southland announced a $250 million expansion, including a new casino complex and twenty-story hotel. In 2019, the track announced that it would cease greyhound racing, which had become increasingly controversial, by the end of 2022. The last greyhound race took place on December 31, 2022.

A rendering of the proposed shelter which will have two renovated kennels.

Photos by City of WM

LEFT: West Memphis Mayor Marco McClendon expressed his gratitude for the generous donation. RIGHT: Despite the brisk winter weather, a large crowd gathered to celebrate the awaited groundbreaking ceremony.