Opposition is coming from the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, who have their own federally protected bingo casinos near Montgomery and Atmore, as well as Walker County bingo interests. "You've got every faction involved," Penn said.
But, there is local support for the expansion. Macon County dog track owner Milton McGregor supports Penn's measure. "It's wrong for out-of-state interests to dictate public policy in Alabama plus in-state Indian interests who don't pay any taxes," McGregor said. Experts note he's the largest taxpayer in Macon County and the largest employer. McGregor owns the Macon County greyhound track where electronic bingo reigns over pari-mutuel dog racing, and the larger Birmingham Race Course where he hopes another constitutional amendment sponsored by Rep. Marcel Black, D-Tuscumbia, will authorize bingo. Black's measure also would authorize bingo at the Mobile greyhound track.
McGregor also said that other gambling interests are noticing Alabama, including Las Vegas.
McGregor, Penn and Singleton said the Macon and Greene county constitutional amendments, if voters approve, would transfer authority over bingo from the local sheriffs to the existing racing commissions, tax bingo and distribute money to local communities.
Opponents of the measures said that Penn's measure is 14 pages in length and addresses legal immunity and other issues. "If the whole deal is all they want to do is take the authority from the sheriff and give it to the racing commission, that can be in one page," said lobbyist Logan Gray, who represents former state Sen. Bob Wilson Jr. (D-Jasper), and Walker County bingo interests.
According to John Teague, a lobbyist for Poarch Creek Indians, there really is no controversy, as far as he is concerned, as to regulates bingo and what the local taxes are.
"But Mr. McGregor said all he wants to do is change the regulation from the sheriff to the racing commission, and if this bill goes so much farther, it has implications for gaming throughout the state," Teague explained.
Penn, Singleton and McGregor are promoting the local constitutional amendments as economic development issues because the dog tracks where bingo operates employ hundreds and they and the tracks pay millions of dollars in taxes and payroll.
"This is my Mercedes, this is my Hyundai, this is my ThyssenKrupp," Singleton said, mentioning major automotive and steel manufacturing projects in more urban areas.
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