Center Stage Alabama bingo profits go to charity

Just after midday Deontae Burney was up about $10 cash.

Burney, 31, of Dothan, went to the bingo hall at Center Stage Alabama Wednesday with his mother, who was visiting from Tuskegee.

“I like it so far,” Burney said. “It’s different because I’m used to the slots up there at VictoryLand where I’m from. I think it’s good for Dothan. I hope it brings more jobs, and things to do for the area.”

Officials with the Houston Economic Development Association (HEDA) and Center Stage Alabama held a press conference Wednesday to answer questions from the media about their recent opening.

Frank Wendt, president of HEDA, estimated between 2,000 and 3,000 people went to the bingo hall at Center Stage Alabama over the July Fourth holiday weekend.

“I’ll be back that’s a guarantee,” Burney said. “I tried to get down here for the July Fourth activities, but I didn’t quite make it.”

Wendt said the facility, which includes at least 500 bingo machines, will be open all week from 10 a.m. to 2 a.m., and until 4 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. He said there will be no bingo on Sundays until 1 p.m.

Center Stage Alabama, formerly known as Country Crossing, opened Friday after being closed since January 2010.

“Obviously, we would like to see better crowds out here,” Wendt said. “I’m not going to lie, it’s a different environment than what we had before. We know there will have to be some changes made. We feel like there are things we can do to liven them up. We want to grow and expand, and get back on track to getting hotels out here.”

Jeff Rubin, the chief operating officer (CEO) for Center Stage Alabama, said there were a couple of $1,100 winners over the holiday weekend, along with several others who took home $500.

“There is no doubt these machines are the most conservative machines,” Rubin said. “This is the most conservative dish we can serve. It’s simply paperless bingo. People are missing the bells and whistles. That is the biggest complaint.”

Officials with HEDA also presented a $22,000 donation to the Kiwainis Club of Dothan from the recent July Fourth celebration held at Center Stage Alabama, which they sponsored. Officials from Center Stage Alabama also presented Kiwainis Club of Dothan with a $10,000 donation.

“In our opinion, when they come in and go to bingo school they’ll have a better chance at winning and a better time,” Wendt said.

Wendt talked about a special area of the bingo hall where patrons can play for free, and officials walk around explaining the game.

Wendt also spoke about how the money made from bingo hall at Center Stage Alabama will be donated and distributed through the Houston County Foundation.

“One hundred percent of our profits will go to charity, but obviously we have expenses we have to cover,” Wendt said.

Wendt said no one from the facility has talked with any officials with the Alabama Attorney General’s Office about the legality of the bingo machines.

“We feel like the attorney general is going to do his due diligence,” Wendt said. “They still have yet to be tested in court. I think it’s clearly outlined in the amendment it’s the net profit that goes to charity. We’re just trying to operate under the amendment given to us.”

Wanda Manire traveled to the bingo hall Wednesday with her husband Warren.

“We go to Biloxi a lot, and play the slots,” she said. “There is no comparison here. We came here when they were Country Crossing. They were slot machines more or less, they really were. For anybody that simply likes to play bingo it’s great here. We spend our money in Mississippi already. Anything in Alabama would be preferable to Mississippi.”