Developers: Riley trying to block shipment of bingo machines

A member of the governor’s staff has reportedly attempted to stop the shipment of 1,703 electronic bingo machines bound for the Country Crossing development south of Dothan.

And county officials are holding an 11 a.m. news conference at the Country Crossing development today to discuss community support of the project, legal issues raised by state officials and the importance of the 500 new jobs in the community.

Country Crossing developers and county officials learned late Tuesday that the Nevada Gaming Commission was contacted by a member of Gov. Bob Riley’s staff and told it would be illegal to ship the machines because the governor believes they are illegal.

But Todd Stacy, Riley’s press secretary, said that’s not exactly the way things occurred. This is, rather, part of a statewide effort to stop illegal gaming in Alabama and it does not specifically target this project.

“Our legal office has been in communication with state gaming commissions throughout the country about the continued shipment of illegal slot machines to various locations in Alabama. It's a statewide issue,” Stacy said.

“Contrary to what some seem to believe, the world simply does not revolve around Ronnie Gilley and Country Crossing.”

But Country Crossing spokesman Jay Walker said Sonny Reagan, the governor’s deputy legal advisor, made the calls.

The governor's office is citing the Monday ruling in Walker County as evidence the machines are illegal. Jefferson County Circuit Judge Robert Vance Jr. ruled the machines in Walker County illegal, in part, because the electronic form only needs passive participation, not active players.

Country Crossing officials read the ruling differently, saying the governor is wrong to take one ruling in one county that is unique to that county’s legislation, and apply it as a blanket ruling over other parts of the state with different legislation.

Bingo machines must be approved and released for sale and shipment by the Nevada Gaming Commission. Stiff guidelines imposed by the gaming commission strictly prohibits those in the industry from being involved in any illegal activities.

Shipping to Alabama when the governor of the state declares it illegal would constitute an illegal activity.

“That is a stop-gap preservation of their gaming licenses in Nevada,” Walker said.

Local officials quickly responded, sending copies of case law and local legislation to the Nevada Gaming Commission, as well as a videotape of Attorney General Troy King, where he speaks about the law in relation to Houston County. King's office issued an AG Opinion more than a year ago which favored the development.

The Nevada Gaming Commission then had a vote, Walker said, and decided they were on firm legal ground to allow the machines to be shipped.

“The manufacturers and the Commission itself read the law the same way we do,” Walker said.

With 31 more days until the opening of the country music entertainment destination, which has a bingo component, Walker said developers and officials remain “extremely confident” on the legality of the machines.

Editor's Note: There were two errors made in the story which appears in Friday's Eagle. They were corrected in the on-line version early Friday morning.