Baptist disavow any connection with phone message

March 10, 2008

Lance Griffin

Should have story up any time at dothaneagle.com on the automated phone message. Spokesmen for the Columbia Baptist Association, Alabama Baptist State Convention and Alabama Baptist newspaper all say they are not connected with the message in any way.

Jerry Grandstaff, head of the Columbia Baptist Association, said he believes the reference to the Alabama Baptist was included inentionally so people would infer they were responsible for the message.

County Commission chairman addresses Rotary Club

Debbie Ingram

In the two weeks which have elapsed since Houston County first heard the words “Country Crossing,“ we might have gotten swept up in the many, many details, questions and clarifications the project poses. The good versus evil of gambling. And

Few tidbits from over the weekend

Lance Griffin

Remember legendary Alabama and NFL football player John Hannah? Apparently he has an entertainment company that is a subsidiary of Ronnie Gilley Properties, LLC. Below is a press release announcing an event in Atlantic City.

Click here for the John Hannah Entertainment press release

Gilley has launched a Myspace page with his two new songs featured.

Ronnie Gilley’s Myspace

What will this week hold?

Debbie Ingram

The Houston County Commission meets today and they are to receive a signed committment from Country Crossing developers, pledging a minimum of $2 millon in annual charitable contributions to Houston County charities and education. These will come from profits of a charitable bingo center at the development, expected to be operational by summer 2009.

There has been a lot of talk about the money from bingo with some speculating local charities will never see the first dime. I guess this means there will be a lot of dimes going to places like Dothan City Schools, the Food Bank and Southeast Alabama Child Advocacy Center, among others. (No charities have been named; I’m just throwing those out there.) Unless, of course, these groups REFUSE the money. (I don’t see that happening.)

Also this week, Country Crossing developer Ronnie Gilley is a little bit overdue in announcing his property acquisition. He said the decision could come in one to two weeks from the initial announcement, made Feb. 25. We are hoping to receive that announcement this week. He was looking for 500 acres. The newspaper has actually received a call from a guy who wanted to sell Mr. Gilley his property. “Could you call him and give him my number?“ said the caller. The Eagle is not in the practice of brokering land deals, so .....

But the million dollar question is, where will it go? Everybody says to the south. A 231 access, on the way to the most beautiful beaches in America, only makes sense. And how valuable will the land be in close proximity to it? Some farmers are gonna make a lot of money. And it won’t be from peanuts.

Perhaps also this week Gilley willl announce fresh committments from country music artists. I’m waiting on Alan Jackson or George Strait. With a name like that, well, wow!!!!

Mark Culver is speaking to the Dothan Rotary Club today to attempt to sway some of the business leaders in the community—some of whom came out last week in opposition to gambling, aka bingo. As has been pointed out, their fight might best be fought in Montgomery, where laws that allow bingo might be changed.

And will any kind of lawsuit be filed? This week, perhaps?

Stay tuned….. things change regularly.

Short phone conversation with Ronnie Gilley

March 07, 2008

Lance Griffin

I spoke with Ronnie Gilley by phone tonight. He was in Nashville, and said he remains committed to making Country Crossing a reality despite recent voices of opposition in parts of the church and business community.

Here are a few tidbits from the conversation:
—He said he was in Nashville to sign another artist commitment to Country Crossing, but did not elaborate.

—He said representatives were in Dothan Friday to continue working on the land purchase. He said a deal is closer, but nothing has been signed as of yet.

—He said recent comparisons between electronic bingo at Country Crossing and casino gambling are unfair. Trying to say Country Crossing would make Houston County like Biloxi was far from the truth, he said
.—He said he felt comfortable in his Christianity concerning the project, and indicated he felt his faith was being questioned because of the electronic bingo.

—He also said HB577, the electronic bingo bill introduced in the Alabama Legislature, would pave the way for a “massive expansion” of electronic bingo if passed. The bill would allow electronic bingo centers at dog tracks in Mobile and Birmingham, and appears to outlaw it in other places except those that already exist in Macon and Greene Counties. However, Gilley said the bill would allow for electronic bingo via the Internet anywhere in Alabama, as long as the computer terminal connected with a computer server at one of the bingo centers in either Mobile or Birmingham.