Barbour officials asked to consider electronic bingo

Rev. Allen Forte, a leader of the Alabama NAACP and president of Barbour County Chapter 5075, wants the Barbour County Commission to support construction of a tourist attraction in the Rocky Mount community just off U.S. Hwy. 431 in north Barbour County. 

Forte introduced the topic at the commission’s monthly work session Tuesday night in Clayton.  He told commissioners that he was speaking for a group of investors including Edward Vaughn, Porter Griffin and an unnamed former professional athlete from Birmingham who are interested in building a tourist attraction that would generate 200 new jobs in Barbour County.  He went on to describe a first-class hotel with more than 50 rooms and additional space for 500 electronic bingo machines.

He said plans also call for construction of a “name brand” restaurant that would seat between 250 and 300 customers.

Forte said the electronic bingo operation could generate more than $250,000 for charity and the entire tourist attraction “could open the way to a county revenue increase of $2 million to $3 million annually.”

Commissioners invited Forte to bring the investors to their April 7 meeting at the Eufaula courthouse for further discussions.