Houston County’s Center Stage ‘disheartened’ to be omitted from gambling bill

“The Wiregrass area is consistently overlooked by state leaders when it comes to economic development projects,” Center Stage said in a statement on Thursday.

The bill introduced in the Alabama Senate last week includes five other casino locations around the state, but noticeably left out Center Stage, which state law enforcement shut down nearly a decade ago because of its electronic bingo games resembling slot machines.

During a Thursday debate, the Associated Press reported that some lawmakers, including Sen. Donnie Chesteen of Geneva, said they were concerned their districts were not included in the bill.

Omitting the Wiregrass from the legislation will cost Houston County between $3-5 million in additional tax revenue each year, Center Stage said, according to economic projections from feasibility studies. Additionally, the Wiregrass could lose the opportunity to add 1,200 direct jobs and 5,000 indirect jobs over a five-year span.

“Unlike most of the locations included in the current legislation, significant infrastructure exists here in the Wiregrass to allow for the creation of a true destination location with lodging, concert venues and theater venues in addition to gaming,” Center Stage continued. “We are working diligently with our local delegation to secure an amendment that would include the Wiregrass in Senate Bill 214.”

In its statement, Center Stage urged Wiregrass residents to contact their local state representatives and Gov. Kay Ivey to demand that the Wiregrass be included in the legislation.

The bill’s sponsor, Sen. Del Marsh, said the Wiregrass isn’t alone as four other senators expressed the same sentiments.

Marsh said that he was looking at adding up to two additional sites, but cautioned that he did not think voters would approve a gambling bill that allowed a large number of casinos.