Main caption: To mark the opening of the new $2.3 million Carolyn and Ness Sechrest Animal Shelter & Adoption Center in West Memphis, officials from Southland Casino Hotel, parent company Delaware North and the City of West Memphis were joined by members of the Sechrest family for a ceremonial ribbon cutting. From left to right are Bret Patton, Blake Robinson and Dana Patton, sons-in-law and daughter, respectively, of Carolyn and Ness Sechrest; Kerry Facello, director of the animal shelter; West Memphis Mayor Marco McClendon; Delaware North CEO Lou Jacobs; and Southland Casino Hotel President and General Manager Osi Imomoh.
WEST MEMPHIS, Ark. (Oct. 30, 2026) – The City of West Memphis and Southland Casino Hotel on Oct. 29 celebrated the opening of the new $2.3 million Carolyn and Ness Sechrest Animal Shelter & Adoption Center, a modern and spacious facility providing a safe and comfortable place for dogs and cats while they await their forever homes.
Southland and parent company Delaware North contributed $1.7 million toward the construction of the animal shelter at the site of the former Mid-South Greyhound Adoption Center at 1800 Southland Drive behind the casino in West Memphis.
The City of West Memphis, members of the community, many of whom paying tribute to loved ones, and the Arkansas Greyhound Kennel Association, in collaboration with Southland, also contributed to the project.
The new facility is named in honor of the late Ness Sechrest, chairman emeritus of the Southland board of directors, and his wife, the late Carolyn Sechrest, a former member of the city’s animal control commission.
For several years, the Sechrests pushed for funding of a new shelter to replace the city’s more limited older facility. After the conclusion of live racing at Southland in 2022 and the adoption of all remaining greyhounds, Delaware North’s Jacobs family and the Southland board of directors agreed the former adoption facility would serve as an ideal location for a new and improved city animal shelter. The new shelter includes a new structure and the renovated adoption facility.
To mark the opening, Southland Casino Hotel, Delaware North and West Memphis officials, joined by members of the Sechrest family, participated in a ceremonial ribbon cutting before touring the new facility. Carolyn and Ness Sechrest attended the facility’s groundbreaking ceremony in early 2024, but unfortunately both have passed away since.
“Ness and Carolyn Sechrest brought such passion and commitment to the community and worked tirelessly to bring this new shelter from vision to reality,” Delaware North CEO Lou Jacobs said, noting that Ness Sechrest was a trusted adviser on Southland to his father, Delaware North Chairman Jeremy Jacobs, over several decades.
“I know Ness would be so proud of what we’ve done together for the community in this public-private partnership between West Memphis and Southland. Thank you to Mayor McClendon and the city, as well as the kennel association, for their support of the project,” Jacobs said.
The new shelter is significantly larger than the previous facility and features modern amenities:
- Capacity for 48 dogs and 40 cats with significant additional capability in the case of an emergency or disaster.
- Spaces to quarantine both cats and dogs that might have illnesses.
- Concrete edging to prevent dogs from digging, maintaining a safe and beautiful place to play.
“This is a great day for West Memphis, and I’m proud of what a strong partnership has built together,” West Memphis Mayor Marco McClendon said. “This new animal shelter has been needed for a long time, and thanks to our partners at Southland Casino Hotel and Delaware North, we now have a first-class facility to better care for animals in our community.
“I want to thank Southland Casino Hotel and Delaware North for believing in our city and continuing to invest in our community. I also want to recognize Ness and Carolyn Sechrest, who had a heart for this facility long before we got here today. Their legacy will continue through the lives of the animals and families this shelter will serve. Their love for animals and dedication to this city will live on through this facility for generations to come,” McClendon said.
The new animal shelter is the latest example of Southland’s extensive support of West Memphis and the region.
“On behalf of our more than 1,200 team members at Southland Casino Hotel, we are grateful to play an important part in the rise of West Memphis and celebrate a new chapter of care, compassion and community with this new facility,” said Osi Imomoh, president and general manager of Southland Casino Hotel.
“This animal shelter is another way that Southland supports the community, along with our funding of the Mid-South Food Bank’s mobile food pantries and distribution, upgrading facilities at Hope House Ministries and 8th Street Mission, providing scholarships for students at Arkansas State University Mid-South and issuing grants to dozens of charitable organizations through our patron-supported Game Changer program,” Imomoh said.
The general contractor for the new building was Memphis-based Wagner General contractors, and the adoption center renovation was handled by Michael Rushing’s Quality Flooring & Cleaning.
About Southland Casino Hotel
Southland Casino Hotel has been a major entertainment destination for more than 70 years and in 2022 opened its new casino that boasts 2,300 total slot machines, as many as 50 live table games, sports betting, and a new 300-room, 20-story hotel plus a covered parking garage with over 1,400 spaces. Restaurants at Southland include The Kitchens – a unique buffet experience, Ignite Steakhouse, The Fry House, The Grind Coffee Bar, Seasons Cafe and Betly Sports Bar & Grill – while new bars include the Chairman’s Bar, Charred Oak Bourbon Bar and the Ignite Steakhouse Bar.
Southland’s accommodations, amenities and service earned it the prestigious AAA Four Diamond rating in 2025 and various awards, including 17 Casino Player magazine Best of Gaming awards in 2024. It was voted the best casino in the Memphis, Tenn., region and has been featured in Casino Player and many publications in several states as a top entertainment destination in the Mid-South.
Southland has long been a pivotal fixture of the West Memphis community, strongly supporting the community with jobs, business stability and economic contributions. It has consistently won awards for its outstanding community service, including millions of dollars donated to neighborhood charities and educational institutions. Southland is owned and operated by Delaware North, a global leader in hospitality and entertainment. SouthlandCasino.com