Arkansas Casino CFO, 58, Dies in Freak Golf Cart Accident
Posted on: January 10, 2026, 10:00h.
Last updated on: January 10, 2026, 02:45h.
- Saracen Casino Resort CFO Jim Burns, 58, died after a golf cart overturned on him
- The accident occurred at country club near the Pine Bluff, Arkansas casino on January 8
- Burns died the following morning
- He led the finances of the Quapaw Nation-owned casino since 2020
James M. Burns, the chief financial officer of Saracen Casino Resort in Pine Bluff, Ark., died following a golf‑cart accident at the nearby Pine Bluff Country Club on January 9.
According to the local Deltaplex News, Jefferson County Coroner Chad Kelley confirmed that Burns, 58, was injured when a golf card he was riding in overturned and landed on him on January 8. He was transported to Jefferson Regional Hospital, where he died early the following morning.
Kelley said his body would be sent to the Arkansas State Medical Examiner’s Office for an autopsy as an investigation continues.
Well-Known Local Gaming Figure
Burns was a well‑known figure in Arkansas gaming. In April 2025, Arkansas Money & Politics profiled him as the “Face of Arkansas Gaming,” describing him as a “value creator and effective leader” with a long record of achieving financial and operational goals.
The magazine highlighted his role in helping to shape Saracen’s strategic direction alongside other executives and the leadership of the Quapaw Nation, whose investment in the resort sits on their ancestral homeland.
Burns was praised for his focus on delivering a high‑quality experience that benefited both the tribe and the surrounding community through jobs and vendor partnerships.
A native of the Chicago area, Burns graduated from Joliet Catholic High School before earning an accounting degree from Northern Illinois University (NIU) in 1989, the same year he passed the CPA exam. He completed his MBA at NIU in 1995 and later expanded his executive training with a strategic‑leadership program in the gaming industry at the University of Nevada, Reno, in 2012.
Burns built a decades‑long career in gaming finance, serving as CFO for multiple organizations and holding CEO and general manager roles before joining Saracen in 2020. Colleagues frequently cited his steady leadership, deep industry knowledge, and commitment to operational excellence.
He is survived by his wife, Lisa, along with their five adult children and four grandchildren.
Saracen Casino Resort did not immediately respond to a request for comment, nor has it posted about the tragedy on its social media pages.
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