Bingo bill vote put on hold

March 11, 2008

By Lance Griffin

The Associated Press is reporting that Rep. Marcel Black, D-Tuscumbia, has pulled a proposed constitutional amendment from the legislative calendar today, apparently because he does not have the votes necessary to pass it. The bill could make the type of electronic bingo center proposed for Country Crossing illegal if passed by the Alabama Legislature and then by a vote of the people of the state.

To read about it, click here

Keep an eye on the legislature

Lance Griffin/Dothan Eagle

A bill could be debated in the Alabama House today that may kill electronic bingo in Houston County. HB577 is a wordy 25-page bill that would expand electronic bingo centers to race tracks at Mobile and Birmingham, and effectively outlaw it everywhere else other than race tracks in Greene and Macon Counties.

Although a previously existing bingo amendment exists in Houston County, it appears this bill would limit the type of bingo that could exist here. The bill states “bingo shall not be conducted at any location (other than a racetrack) pursuant to a local bingo amendment, whether or not using conventional bingo equipment, under conditions where more than one bingo game per minute is played at such location. No equipment or device of any kind shall qualify as conventional bingo equipment (other than a racetrack) if it is used to play, or facilitate the playing of, more than one bingo game per minute in any single building, hall or other location used for playing bingo.“

The House is scheduled to be in session this afternoon. To listen to live audio from the House, go here

Still no land deal

By Lance Griffin

As of 9:50 last night, attorneys were still working with landowners to finalize a deal for the Country Crossing site. Not sure if there is a snag with one or more of the landowners, or if the logistics of dealing with multiple landowners is slowing down the process. Yesterday Gilley said there is a Plan B site, very close to the existing site, should Plan A fall through.

Culver speaks to Rotary Club

Debbie Ingram/Dothan Eagle

County Commission Chairman Mark Culver spoke to his home club Monday, the Dothan Rotary Club, and received a standing ovation along with County Commissioners Frances Cook, Bobby Snellgrove and Phil Forrester, who were also in attendance.

“That felt really good,“ Culver said afterwards.

The accolades from the approximatey 150 in attendance came because of the BIG FISH the county has landed. That’s the economic development project you’ve been reading about lately known as Country Crossing which brings with it 3,000 direct jobs in up to five years, along with a $300 million investment, entertainment like you’ve driven miles and miles to see, and oh yes, bingo.

The Rotary Club is a very old organization of business and professional people and its membership includes doctors, lawyers, politicians, business owners, etc., etc. The club, generally speaking, is a conservative bunch. So was it a surprise when club member Shelton Bailey stood up after Culver’s 15-minute speech on Country Crossing and said, “I just want to say to each one of you, thanks. You have researched it pretty well and we appreciate what you have done.“

With that, most of the crowd stood and applauded.

What the county has done is work within the confines of the law to allow this Little Nashville to come in, yes, with bingo. And jobs. And tourists. Hotels and other infrastructure. And extra business. And bingo which is not without community concerns over what this “gambling” will bring with it. Addiction and crime are the most talked about.

The question repeatedly asked is why does it have to include bingo? People love Country Crossing, but bingo? Businessman Jim Whaley posed the question Monday, to which Culver replied:

“First, it adds absolutely to the financial ability to do other things. Having this revenue source makes it viable from an investment perspective. And second, that’s not our call.“

As Culver explained, when Michelin announced its location here, no one stepped forward and interjected their ideas on what sort of tires should be made there. Light truck or SUV? Ditto Sony. It’s not our call what tape Sony manufactures. We trust they know their industries better than the man on the street.

And so it goes with the investors of Country Crossing, three of whom are George Jones, Joel Katz and James Stroud. Katz is an Atlanta attorney who’s client list includes The Rolling Stones, Jimmy Buffet, Mark Anthony, James Taylor, Willie Nelson, whom he has a 35-year relationship with, Big and Rich, Alan Jackson, George Strait. George Jones and many others in country music media. He is counsel for the Grammy’s, the Gospel Music Association awards and the Country Music Association awards.

Stroud is a heavy-hitting record producer in Nashville who, it is said, has sold three production companies in his career. In his letter of support, Stroud wrote that over the past 25 years in Nashville, he has “established many successful relationships in the entertainment industry and I’m committed to the promotion and success of our Country Crossing project. Several Nashville premier artists are going to be involved with Country Crossing. As the PRESIDENT (my emphasis) and EQUITY PARTNER of Ronnie Gilley Entertainment, LLC, I couldn’t be more excited about the future of this project.“

Tidbit from story coming later this week

March 10, 2008

Lance Griffin/Dothan Eagle

Just had a sit-down with Ronnie Gilley for a story later this week. Here’s a quote from our conversation:

Q: Can this project be done without bingo?

A: If you compare it to Branson, Mo., then let’s do that. Branson Mo. has been in the making for 75 years, so could we do it without the bingo? Here’s how it would work. The reality of it is with the credit market being such as it is, and with the investment market being such as it is, I might could go muster up an investor to put in a Tracy Lawrence Barbecue – it would be slim to none to making it happen in today’s climate – but let’s just say I could. That’s all I’m going to be able to get done. Then once there is a track record established with a Tracy Lawrence Barbecue and Opera House, 2 or 3 years from now maybe I can get George Jones to come in and put in his dinner theater, and in another 2 or 3 years, then maybe I can get Darryl Worley or Alan Jackson or Toby Keith or whoever it is, but it is a slow, slow, slow process, a slow buildup period which basically is not going to create any economic impact for Houston County, it’s just going to be a long drawn-out process and that’s what the bingo facility brings to the table for the overall project. It’s an economic facilitator that allows it to happen simultaneously.