Thursday, December 13, 2007
License big barrier for giant casino
If a group made up of gaming executives and Macon County investors have their way, a high-stakes bingo resort facility that will rival any casino in world could open its doors within spitting distance of Lee County.
April 1, 2007
If a group made up of gaming executives and Macon County investors have their way, a high-stakes bingo resort facility that will rival any casino in world could open its doors within spitting distance of Lee County.
Dominic Polizzotto of Southeastern Gaming Opportunity, LLC said Friday that the only thing keeping a planned 300-room resort hotel and a state-of-the-art charity bingo casino on the southeast corner of the Wire Road exit from becoming reality is securing a gaming license in Macon County.
“We have conceptual plans, and we’re ready to move forward quickly as soon as the license is secured,“ Polizzotto said. “Our aim is to be a valued member of the community. We want the resort to be what the community wants. You won’t see the walls of neon signs outside. The idea is to be a place where people in the area or people in Atlanta or from anywhere in Alabama can come for a great meal, quality entertainment, relaxing accommodations and a light of exciting night of gaming.“
Polizzotto said that Robert Davis of the Tuskegee Area Family Development and Education Fund has applied for a Class B Bingo License on Jan. 16, but there has been no movement to date.
Two groups that have been unable to obtain licenses currently have suits pending.
Southeastern Gaming Opportunity, which is made up of several gaming execs who have worked on projects with the legendary Binion casino family, has an option on a tract of about 100 acres owned by Wayne and Jimmy Bassett of Beck’s Turf Inc.
Currently gaming applications in Macon County are handled and processed by Sheriff David Warren, but a bill has been introduced in the Alabama legislature to have that responsibility moved to the Macon County Gaming Commission.
Polizzotto said the group would work with community leaders to make sure that the facility would be fitting for the landscape. He said a golf course has even been proposed as a part of the gaming resort, which would be built at I-85’s Exit 42.
“We’ve all worked with Jack Binion on other projects, but Jack is not involved in this opportunity,“ Polizzotto said. “While we’ve all worked on other projects, this would be something special, unlike anything else in Alabama or in the rest of the country for that matter. I think the area can support it, but more than that I think a facility like this can make the area a destination and draw people from all over the Southeast.“
Macon County is already home to one ever-growing and improving gaming entertainment facility. Milton McGregor’s VictoryLand is currently the only bingo operation licensed in Macon County and makes weekly donations to more than 50 charities.
VictoryLand recently completed construction of a massive covered parking facility and broke ground on a new hotel facility that could feature up to 1,000 rooms. VictoryLand currently employs about 1,400 people, a number that could grow with completion of additional amenities.
Polizzotto said the proposed facility would also give generously to charity and be an economic boon for the community.
“We want to create high-paying jobs with benefits for the area and give back millions to charities in the community,“ Polizzotto said. “Initially more than 1,000 would be employed full-time, with benefits. That’s in an area that is in need of good-paying employment opportunities. The only thing standing in the way is movement on a gaming application and that lies in the hands of the sheriff.“
A call to the Macon County Sheriff’s Office to check the application’s status Friday was not returned.