VictoryLand, Country Crossing supporters rally for their cause
Joe McAdory
Opelika-Auburn News
Former state representative and Tuskegee mayor Johnny Ford, left, leads civil rights activist Nick LaTour and more than 200 gaming supporters on a march Wednesday from the state capitol to the Statehouse, singing “We Shall Overcome.“
Staff writer
Published: February 3, 2010
Updated: February 4, 2010
MONTGOMERY—“Impeach Bob Riley” T-shirts were worn. American flags were waved. Multiple choruses of “We Shall Overcome” were sung. Children sat on the front steps of the state capitol holding signs that read “It’s my teacher getting laid off.“
Roughly 200 VictoryLand and Country Crossing supporters were bussed Wednesday to Montgomery as community leaders, civil rights advocates, concerned citizens and casino employees loudly voiced their concerns—via speaker—so anyone within earshot of Dexter Avenue could hear their plea.
“Let us vote. Let us vote.“
State police raided the gaming facilities in Shorter and Dothan last week, threatening to remove hundreds of electronic bingo machines authorities deemed to be illegal. A temporary restraining order has since prevented further action, but Country Crossing and VictoryLand remained closed Wednesday.
Should the gaming devices be removed, hundreds of VictoryLand and Country Crossing employees figure to lose their jobs. VictoryLand is Macon County’s largest employer with an estimated 1,500 workers.
Supporters at the hour-long rally want the citizens of Alabama to have the opportunity to vote on the issue of electronic gambling rather than allow the state government make that choice for them.
“We are not going to stop. We will pursue this issue in U.S. Federal Court and take it to the Supreme Court if we have to,“ former Tuskegee mayor, state representative and current Senate District 28 candidate Johnny Ford said to the growing audience. “Our civil rights have been violated.“
Ford later led the crowd, arm-in-arm with actor Nick LaTour, from the capitol steps to the Statehouse, singing “We Shall Overcome” repeatedly. LaTour is the son of the late civil rights activist E.D. Nixon.
‘I know it’s legal’
“I’m standing where Jefferson Davis stood, where George Wallace, who said ‘segregation now, segregation forever, stood, and where Martin Luther King Jr. stood,“ Ford continued. “I respect all others, but when Dr. King stood here, he said ‘Give us the ballot and we will be free one day. We will have justice and we will have jobs.‘ So, the people of Alabama are saying they want the right to exercise their right to vote.“
Rep. Billy Beasley (D-Abbeville), who is campaigning against Ford for the Senate District 28 seat, agreed.
“It’s time to let the people vote,“ he said. “People who have jobs at VictoryLand, Country Crossing and White Hall ... those people have families to support and rent to pay. It’s time for the governor to open doors and let people go back to these facilities.“
Ford believes citizens of Macon County should already have the right to play bingo, citing House Bill 660, an Alabama constitutional amendment which Ford said he and current State Sen. Myron Penn (D-Union Springs) drew up in 2003. Ford said 76 percent of Macon County residents voted for the amendment.
“I know it’s legal. I wrote the bill and got advisement from the attorney general’s office,“ he said. “Today’s rally is about clarifying House Bill 660. We want to say once and for all that the bill is legal.
“The people of Macon County said they wanted to have the opportunity to play bingo. I went to San Francisco and found an electronic machine that plays bingo. I brought it back to Alabama and I said, ‘This technology will allow you to play bingo.‘“
“So I drew up a bill made legal by the vote of the people. They said they wanted to play bingo, whether it was by cards, machines, tic-tac-toe, as long as it was bingo.
“This was a constitutional amendment and the constitution of Alabama has been amended more times than any constitution in the U.S. But why is this constitutional amendment picked on?“
Beasley also urged the crowd to make sure their representatives in Montgomery supported House Bill 154, which would allow casinos in Alabama to remain open, but prevent them from further expansion.
Economic blow
Supporters agreed that taking bingo out of VictoryLand could be a death blow to Macon County’s economy. Taxes generated from the facility, which is also home to a popular greyhound racing track and new hotel, Oasis, was listed at $4.9 million, according to a VictoryLand economic fact sheet passed out on the capitol steps.
“We have an unemployment rate of 12 percent. Immediately, that would go to 13,“ said Macon County commissioner Louis Maxwell. “In six months, we’d be at 15 percent because of the trickle-down effect. We would have to lay off up to 30 percent of the county workforce.
Maxwell said the county has three bonds with an approximate total of $12 million tied to VictoryLand.
“When those funds are relieved, we’d have to move to the general fund just to pay our obligations,“ he said.
Rep. Pebblin Warren (D-Tuskegee) said she would not tolerate adding 4,000 more people to the state’s inflated unemployment rate.
“Macon County is not like other counties,“ she said. “We don’t have all of the big industry. We have to utilize what we have. VictoryLand is our tourist attraction. The biggest industry in Alabama is tourism. We have our riches. Let us keep it and let us use it.“
One Macon County resident, Tony Burton, had another concern.
“There are so many different outlets that feed off of VictoryLand. This would hurt people in a time of need. There are rumors made by the government and task force that say it (gambling) will increase crime, but it is my belief that crime will increase if people don’t have jobs,“ he said.
The atmosphere outside the Quincy’s 777 casino at VictoryLand was uneventful Wednesday morning and afternoon. The large parking lots were mostly barren. Fountains outside the entrance continued to flow, while groundskeepers maintained their jobs, trimming hedges and beautifying what could be beautified. Vehicles trickled in and out every now and then—many turning around once they realized their hopes of striking it rich on this visit would go unfulfilled.
Calls inside Quincy’s 777 casino at VictoryLand revealed the gaming facility would remain closed “for at least a couple of days.“
Reader Reactions
Au99 and golfer, you guys are ignoring my the meat of my comment:
He had no problem with the gaming facility which houses the bingo machines and was intended to house the bingo machines being built at Victoryland in 2007, and yes he was governor then too. He suddenly throws a bunch of taxpayers’ money to prove some asinine personal point now. He’s been governor for eight years now and under his charge, how many of these gaming centers have gone up in Alabama? HIS FAULT!!!! Why are we paying hand over fist for it now when he had the power to stop it before it ever happened? ‘The law was the law’ then too. Please look at the full picture.
AND
The people who work, or should I say worked at those facilities, PAID STATE AND FEDERAL TAXES just like I do, and hopefully you do. So think about it, those workers at gaming halls helped pay for their own raids, threat of raids, and demise of their employment. Those who operate meth manufacturing labs DO NOT PAY TAXES FOR THEIR ILL GOTTEN INCOME!!!!
Why did the state, under Riley’s own nose, give these facilities Tax ID numbers to employ people when/if he feels it is illegal? Why did he not stop the development of these facilities before they started? Why suddenly throw the book at ‘em when they’ve been right under his nose, literally seeing as Shorter is a mere 15 minutes from the Capital City, all these years and he did absolutely nothing until it became such a huge ordeal that it cost us tax payers money that this state plan doesn’t have. Why did he just put hundreds of Alabamians out of work when there is a huge state unemployment problem already when he should have never let those jobs be created, and those folks could be employed now elsewhere as they would have never been employed at the bingo halls? ANSWER: HE HATES TROY KING AND WANTED TO “IN YOUR FACE” HIM BEFORE HE LEFT THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE. Piece it together, he hires a guy who ran against Troy and personally, verbally smacked him in his ‘commercial to do personal damage control.‘ Why would he need damage control, because most Alabamians know he went about this in the most asinine and financially costly way. He’s a self serving jerk.
And, no, the comparison you both used to meth does matter. There is no debate that meth labs are dangerous and illegal, and they do not ‘employ’ nor do they pay taxes. But yes, Riley is ignoring this real plague of meth and other hirer priority social problems by doing all this self gratifying indulgence that has cost you, me, and all those tax paying formally employed gaming hall people, that now you and I must support while they put the pieces together again in their homes.
This is worth a listen atleast a real look into wht might be happening down there.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_pxSXO_kU8
The effects of gambling and the effects of other illegal (according to Alabama State Code) weren’t mentioned here. I am using a comparison regarding what is written in the law of the land. I am not, by any means, comparing the effects of meth to gambling. I could use any comparison that is illegal; from drugs to stealing cars. What is used to compare isn’t the POINT!!! The point, that you can’t see is these machines are illegal. How many times does it have to be upheld by the state supreme court? These jobs are irrelevant when their job breaks the law. Should we legalize breaking in to cars? Many people feed their families doing this too. If my company breaks the law, by my character, I’m going to find another job. If the people vote, which the state legislators can approve, and it becomes legal then there is no argument here. I’m in favor of a vote.
Until a vote overturns the law, these machines are illegal.
Keep in mind who you are siding with. How long after McGregor robs Macon County residents of every little penny they have will you go before you see who he really is? Boss Hogg isn’t out there to help the state of Alabama. He’s willing to steal from the rich and give to himself.
C’mon people, wake up
Continued.
I although I did not vote for Obama, when he was elected and took office, I was cautiously optimistic. I really wanted to see some positive changes in Washington and our country. I was also proud that our country had got past the color of a person’s skin and elected someone other than a white to the highest office in the land.
Although my hopes have now been dashed by Obama’s actions and stances. This has taught me a lesson…as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said: “He had a dream of being able to judge a person by the CONTENT of their character rather than the color of their skin.
Obama’s character has been his downfall, I’ve never known a President to be so deceptive and charming. Bill Clinton & Richard Nixon both tarnished their presidencies with their lies and actions, but nothing compared to what Obama has done in just one year.
My point being, my mother used to tell me you never really know a person until you live with them. Well, we have lived a year with Obama, and disapointed is an understatement of my own oppinion.
With all this said, we as voters really need to do some digging on the people who are seeking to be our leaders. Also, don’t be swayed by one media source or another, seek out independent, unbiased sources, if they truly exist!
Finally, if you are a Christian, Pray and compare the person’s positions in relation to the WORD.
I am a conservative, however, I will do some research of the candidates past history, as much as possible. I sure won’t take them at face value and from campaign speeches and promises.
Even the best meaning politician with good intentions can easily be corrupted by Montgomery Special Interest and politics!
Be a wise voter, get informed, do your own research, and make some phone calls…find out who these people really are as much as possible!
auburn1993- I am a die-hard conservative Republican, but it is safe to say I will more than likely vote for a Dem. for governor, as much as it hurts to say that.
Bob Riley is way out of line on this one and the people of Alabama should show Bob their discontent. If gambling was illegal Bob, why did you not form a task force when first elected!
I smell politics!
You know, Ram, I can’t even stand to see Riley on TV. I have to change the channel. It has become overwhelmingly apparent that is so all about a ‘who is the man’ contest between the gov. and Troy King. It’s obvious that Riley hates him, but why he felt it was in his best interest to drain tax dollars and put hundred of tax paying Alabamians out of work to win the contest, is just beyond me. Good going, Riley, you won the war with Troy King, or at least this battle. Now, Bob, you can expect to be ostracized by the Republican party in hopes that one of their candidates will be able to muster some votes this November for your job. In other words, your own party will DISOWN YOU!
Auburn
your argument is solid just on the fact Ole Bob KNEW well before hand what was going on at Shorter well before the new buildings were built. Now, in a deep recession, all of the sudden he wants to “uphold” the law!
If Riley did not want gambling, he should have nipped it in the bud years ago!
And that “meth” argument is asinine to say the least. Drugs and Gambling are two different issues/animals.
Let the PEOPLE VOTE!
First of all, au99, Riley is a goon/shark based on your own remarks. He had no problem with the gaming facility which houses the bingo machines and was intended to house the bingo machines being built at Victoryland in 2007, and yes he was governor then too. He suddenly throws a bunch of taxpayers’ money to prove some asinine personal point now. He’s been governor for eight years now and under his charge, how many of these gaming centers have gone up in Alabama? HIS FAULT!!!! Why are we paying hand over fist for it now when he had the power to stop it before it ever happened? ‘The law was the law’ then too. Please look at the full picture.
Now speaking of asinine, lets focus on your comparison of bingo machines to meth-amphetamines. Really? No, really? You’re comparing bingo machines to an illicit deadly illegal drugs that is so highly addictive that one hit can render a person addicted immediately and/or kill them immediately? Really? A drug that is made with almost every chemical under most people’s sinks for cleaning purposes that has a “danger poison” and skull and cross bones on it. Really? Au99, I have worked with many a child with this addiction and know much too much about how truly evil it is, so really? I mean really? That is like saying murders and jaywalkers are the same because they both broke the law. The people who work, or should I say worked at those facilities, PAID STATE AND FEDERAL TAXES just like I do, and hopefully you do. So think about it, those workers at gaming halls helped pay for their own raids, threat of raids, and demise of their employment. Those who operate meth manufacturing labs DO NOT PAY TAXES FOR THEIR ILL GOTTEN INCOME!!!! To liken the gaming hall employees to meth dealers, distributors, and manufacturers is beyond insulting and I feel warrants an apology to them. It really scares me that you seem to think this is a reasonable comparison.
Here’s a thought. People are using the idea that the Governor is wasting money fighting these sharks/goons or whatever you want to call them. Gov. Riley took an oath to uphold the law. Law is law. We must abide or we run the risk of living in a society controlled by gambling interests/thugs. Imagine someone builds a large meth lab that employs 500 people and pays taxes though still keeps the bottom feeders at the bottom of the tank due to false hope that meth will actually help society. Technically, by the crazy Macon County way of thought, this would be ok to sustain this business because it claims it helps people by giving tax money and illegal dirty money to those that will support its illegal cause. Where do you draw the line?
Again, the law is the law. The state has an outdated Constitution, but until that is changed, we must abide.
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