Thursday, December 13, 2007

Major player in gaming may be looking to move within miles of Lee County line

While the legislature takes up the issue of casino-type bingo, one major player in the gaming industry may be eyeing a site just a few miles from the Lee County line.

March 30, 2007

While the legislature takes up the issue of casino-type bingo, one major player in the gaming industry may be eyeing a site just a few miles from the Lee County line.

The Tuskegee News reported in its Thursday edition that Jack Binion, the founder of the World Series of Poker, is eyeing land adjacent to Interstate 85 at the Wire Road exit for a possible high-stakes bingo operation.

The land which is currently owned by Wayne and Jimmy Bassett of Beck’s Turf Inc. is in Macon County where charity bingo is already legal under the regulation of the Macon County Sheriff’s Office.

Jimmy Bassett said Wednesday that since they purchased the more than 800 acres in 1994, there have been several people interested in buying it from them.

“We’ve had contacts with all sorts of people, but at this point nothing has moved past the negotiation stages,“ Bassett said. “We’re in the sod business, and we’re happy doing that here and plan to be doing it here for a long time.“

Binion, who has been involved in casino operations with the legendary Horseshoe Club in Las Vegas and others in Illinois, Indiana, Mississippi and Louisiana, would have to gain a license here, and has been working with a group of Macon County investors, according to the Tuskegee News.

Two groups that have been unable to obtain licenses currently have suits pending.

VictoryLand is currently the only bingo operation licensed in Macon County and makes weekly donations to more than 50 charities.