DOTHAN, Ala.— Alabama senators have been working behind the scenes for nine months regarding gambling in Alabama.
Earlier this week, Republican Senator Del Marsh of Anniston proposed a state lottery and five new casinos with casino-style gaming and sports wagering.
Casinos would be placed at Birmingham Racecourse, Mobile Greyhound Park, Greenetrack, Victoryland, and a site in Jackson or Dekalb which are two northern counties that could lure people from Tennessee to come to Alabama to chance their luck.
But one highly traveled area that didn’t make the list was right here the Wiregrass. Houston county commissioner Brandon Shoupe said the Wiregrass was overlooked and could make its own case.
“A lot of people gamble and if they are gonna gamble they might as well be taxed. I think it would make a lot of sense for us to have a facility in southeast Alabama because we get so many people coming from Atlanta from Georgia heading there to the beach have so many people from Birmingham heading south people could come from Florida. Most of the money we could make down there would probably come from out of state taxpayers,” Shoupe said.
Commissioner Shoupe said the destination for the casino could be at the crossing at Big Creek located on U-S 231. He says it would benefit the economic development of Houston County.
“Looking at the bill a very small portion of the tax revenue would go to the county where the facility is located but most will go to the state but of course that will benefit our education system but having the facility here would spur some more economic development depending on where the facility is located,” He said.
Shoupe said not having a facility could have a negative impact but it will be interesting to see how the decision pans out.
