Eric Jackson, senior vice president of Oaklawn, to enter two Halls of Fame

Eric Jackson, the senior vice president of Oaklawn, is set to enter the Arkansas Business Hall of Fame on Friday in Little Rock. It’s the first of two inductions for statewide Halls of Fame for Jackson. Later this year, Jackson will enter the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame.

“It’s quite an honor,” Jackson said. “I learned in October that in February I’m going into the Arkansas Business Hall of Fame, which is stunning to me. There are only about 90 people in it, starting with Sam Walton, the founder of Walmart. And then, about two months later, I got a call and in April [that] I’m going to be inducted into the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame.

“I’ve said to everybody, what Oaklawn accomplished is with a team effort. No one person is responsible for what I think is one of the greatest – if not the greatest – comeback stories of any racetrack in American history.”

Jackson has long been a driving force behind the scenes at Oaklawn, which has managed to go from an endangered species in the 1990s when surrounded by casinos, to offering the richest winter racing program in North America.

There are four individuals who are in both the Arkansas Business and Sports halls. Jackson will become the first to be inducted into both halls in the same year.

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