Short phone conversation with Ronnie Gilley
March 07, 2008
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.
