Eric Jackson: Arkansas Business Hall of Fame
Eric Jackson
Senior Vice President
Oaklawn
Robert Eric Jackson was born in 1950 in Hot Springs, Arkansas. A graduate of Hot Springs High School, he studied business and economics at Hendrix College. He then joined Oaklawn Park as assistant general manager, rising to general manager in 1987. Jackson became senior vice president in 2017.
In the mid-1980s, general gambling operations grew, and competition increased from neighboring Texas and Oklahoma and Mississippi, Louisiana and Missouri casinos. With Oaklawn becoming less profitable, Jackson consulted experts in pari-mutuel betting equipment that allows wagers through a pool. When Arkansas’ law requiring races be broadcast live changed, the electronic pari-mutuel racing equipment was installed at Oaklawn in 2000, and on-site wagering exploded to over $130 million.
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Jackson then turned to electronic blackjack, poker and other skills games. In 2005, a legislative act allowed electronic games, if approved by the relevant municipality. After being upheld by Arkansas’ Supreme Court in 2008, Oaklawn expanded its gaming facility. Today on-site wagering exceeds $2 billion. Oaklawn’s facility now incorporates a casino, concert and event space, hotel, luxury spa, restaurants, bars and wedding venue, insuring the financial health of racing and gambling operations, jobs and related hospitality business.
Oaklawn has contributed over $15 million to the Oaklawn Foundation, which Jackson helped create in 2005 to fund programs and scholarships for students and senior citizens in Garland and Montgomery County. Oaklawn Senior Health Care Center was developed in 2009 to support food, health, art and education initiatives.
Jackson serves on boards for Oaklawn, Southwestern Catering Company, Race Tech LLC, CHI-St. Vincent, Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce and Arkansas State Parks, Recreation and Travel Commission. He has also served on boards for Sisters of Mercy Health System of Chesterfield, Missouri, St. Joseph’s Hospital in Hot Springs, Hot Springs Advertising and Promotion Commission, Garland County Economic Development Corporation, Governor’s Advisory Commission on Hot Springs National Park, Governor’s Task Force on Small Business, Heritage Physicians Group and Worthen/Boatmen’s Bank of America.