Just a few hours before doors opened to the public on Friday afternoon, a step ladder stretched toward the ceiling and the sound of vacuum cleaners and power tools could be heard at Center Stage Alabama.
Jeff Rubin, an official with Center Stage Alabama, declined to make many comments about the facility’s official opening, but he took a couple of representatives from the Dothan Eagle on a tour of the bingo hall prior to its opening.
Rubin asked people to refer to the machines being used as “traditional paperless bingo” instead of electronic bingo. He said the facility includes more than 500 new machines. He declined to explain how the machines work, and suggested the Eagle employees come back later and play the machines.
“It's official, we're calling it traditional paperless bingo," Rubin said.
Hundreds of flat screen computer monitors filled a room that resembled a large computer lab. Each of the computer screens, which move with the touch of a finger, display a computerized bingo card in its center. The screens also display several icons, which include “touch to change denom by 5 cents,” “Help,” “Buy In” and “Play.” The words “Max Buy-In = 25 credits” line the bottom of the computer screen.
A circular bar could be seen in the center of the bingo hall with several large flat screen televisions lining a column at the center of it. At the center of the wall in the rear of the bingo hall is what’s referred to as the cage, but it is only labeled with the word “Cashier” in blue lighted letters above it near the ceiling.
Dothan attorney Sam Cherry, who has been working on the gaming aspect for Center Stage, was at the facility Friday, but declined to comment.
Officials forbid any photographs or video to be taken by official media outlets.
Robin Thagard, the owner of the John Anderson Cafeteria, is also a partner in the restaurant called A. D-licious Barbecue. The development also opened the Worley Bird Saloon.
Thagard, who also owns Colby’s restaurants in the Wiregrass, said the two restaurants will likely employ about 100 people. But she said the whole facility will likely employ about 450 people.
“It’s been very exciting. It’s the best thing that’s happened to Dothan in a long time,” Thagard said. “I consider my staff a part of my family, and we’re just growing our family.”
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