Staff Report
Alabama Political Reporter
MONTGOMERY—Yesterday, in a press release, Milton McGregor and Tuskegee Mayor Johnny Ford jointly announced that Victoryland will reopen on September 13 at 2 p.m.
The Macon County facility has been closed since it was raided on orders of the Alabama Attorney General’s Office in February 2013, when both money and machines were seized and taken into possession.
McGregor said the September 13th date will be a soft opening, but he anticipates hiring more than 200 residents of Tuskegee and the surrounding seven-county area before that date. He said it will be followed by several hundred more hirings over the coming months.
“We have been working with Mayor Johnny Ford, our outstanding Sheriff and District Attorney, and many others for months to get the doors to VictoryLand back open,” McGregor said. “While it has taken longer than we hoped, the time is now here and we are pleased that hundreds of our people will have a new job and VictoryLand will be generating a badly needed shot in the arm for Tuskegee and this entire region of Alabama.”
Expansion of the operation is expected to occur quickly and he anticipates “some exciting announcements” coming this fall that will allow Victoryland to increase its offerings, according to McGregor.
“Electronic bingo would not be a reality in Macon County without the leadership of Mayor Johnny Ford when he was our State Representative and former Senator Myron Penn. Throughout the past several months Mayor Ford has worked with our staff, local law enforcement and others to make sure our opening happened as quickly as possible. So many deserve credit for the successful reopening of VictoryLand. We are excited for our citizens who have stood behind us through thick and thin and so many others who have worked night and day to get the facility ready,” McGregor said.
According to the release, Sheriff Andre Brunson and District Attorney E. Paul Jones have had the machines reviews by independent experts and reported that the machines are in compliance with electronic bingo machine regulations and all other guidelines. The machines will offer “games that will compete well against the Poarch Indian facilities in the area.”
“It is now time to get the doors open and put people back to work and to start paying charities and taxes. So much effort has been put forward by so many and we are glad that this day is finally here. VictoryLand has cleared all legal and regulatory hurdles,” Sheriff Brunson said.
McGregor and Ford said that at the soft launch the facility will offer more than 500 electronic bingo machines and open food and beverage areas.
Future expansion of the facility and the food and beverage area are expected.
“We will grow as our customer base allows it,” McGregor said. “Our goal is to get open, build our business back to where it was before it was illegally closed, and then begin to reopen all areas previously open like our hotel and four-star restaurant.”
