Lottery Commission Closing Springdale Claims Center, 2 Others

The Arkansas Lottery Commission voted Wednesday to close its three regional claim centers in Springdale, Jonesboro and Camden, a move it expects will save roughly $381,000 annually.

The commission said it expected the savings to fund additional scholarships for Arkansas students.

The locations will close when the leases run out.

The Springdale center will close effective October 1, 2014, with claim centers in Jonesboro and Camden shuttering effective November 30, 2014.

Lottery revenues have been on the decline for two consecutive years.

Commissioner Bruce Engstrom, noting that each claim center has a staff of two, asked Arkansas Scholarship Lottery Director Bishop Woosley to make those persons aware of any job opportunities for which they might be qualified within the Lottery.

“Certainly, the human element of is the hardest part for us,” Woosley said. “These folks have served loyally, and we appreciate their service over the last five years. But faced with an increasing demand for lottery-funded scholarships, and the relatively low traffic at these three claim centers, the commission simply feels those dollars are better spent helping Arkansas students go to college and building a more educated workforce in our state.”