Residents, supporters rally for Country Crossing

HOUSTON COUNTY, Ala. — Tony Westbrook stood before the cameras at Country Crossing wearing muddy boots and a weathered expression. His blue work shirt with his first name engraved on it served as a testimony to his blue-collar roots.
“If not for this,” Westbrook gestured toward the development going up behind him, “I’d have no job.”
Westbrook was unemployed for 13 months prior to his finding work with Country Crossing about a year ago. The father of five from Cottonwood said he is grateful to have his job servicing heavy equipment on site.
And to Gov. Bob Riley, whose office earlier this week allegedly made calls to the Nevada Gaming Commission in what locals believe is an attempt to block the delivery of 1,703 electronic bingo machines to the new development on U.S. Highway 231 South, Westbrook nearly begged.
“Let this happen,” he said in a plea to the governor.
Hundreds of public officials, business owners, construction workers and community residents attended a Friday morning rally of support for the country music entertainment project, where several politicians and agency heads took Riley to task over his lack of support, and efforts to defeat the project.
Others simply stated the obvious: Unemployment in Alabama is at 10 percent, the highest in almost 25 years, and third fastest growing in the U.S. Country Crossing offers jobs, Dothan Area Chamber of Commerce President Matt Parker said, and plenty of them.
“Since before this was announced on Feb. 25, 2008, we saw what this project could do – create jobs, create opportunity,” Parker said. “That’s jobs and opportunity in what is probably the worst economic climate since the Great Depression.”
Parker said what seems to be lost among the debate and lawsuits on the legality of electronic charitable bingo, is that this represents the second largest economic development project in the state, which will create up to 6,000 jobs over a period of five years.
“This is a private investment with no tax breaks, lots of community support, great investors and it is a great development that creates a destination for our market.”
Parker estimates the development will generate a half billion dollars in tax revenues over 10 years and another $20 million in education and charitable funding.
Houston County Commission Chairman Mark Culver said the rally was called after Riley’s deputy legal advisor, Sonny Reagan, “personally contacted the Nevada Gaming Commission warning them that, based on this week’s opinion in Walker County, electronic bingo machines in Alabama are illegal.
“He also reportedly stated that there were machines headed to Country Crossing in Houston County, Alabama, and if they were shipped, they would be confiscated and parties would be arrested.”
Riley’s press secretary, Todd Stacy, said the allegations are false.
“Made up. Wrong,” he said. “No one from our office ever said anything like that. Governor Riley has said repeatedly that if they aren’t doing anything illegal, then Country Crossing has nothing to worry about. If they are so confident that this is legal – what is all the fuss about?”
Culver noted that Riley was in Dothan less than a month ago but did not mention Country Crossing or any efforts of the anti-gambling task force to attempt to shut down the development or stop the shipment of the machines.
“His office not only mentioned Country Crossing but secretly and maliciously made statements that we believe not to be factual related to regulating bingo in Houston County,” Culver said.
Dothan City Commissioner John Craig said the city fully supports the development. “We look forward to the jobs being created,” Craig said. “We’re behind this project one hundred percent.”
Businesses are also in need. Many say business is slow in this economy, and some are pinning their hopes to the expected influx of tourism dollars. Derek LaTouche, general manager of the Holiday Inn South, one of the closest hotels to the development, attended the rally and said he thinks the project is great.
“Not only does this help employment, but it helps the Holiday Inn,” LaTouche said. “They were talking about bus tours today and absolutely, we can see increased tourism. The influx of people coming into town would benefit, I’m sure, every business in town.”
Susan Morrison of Prudential Real Estate agrees. She said local agents get a lot of calls about the availability of property, due to this project.
“The impact on home sales and commercial property is unparallel,” Morrison said. “We are getting calls from all over. We need this. People with jobs can buy houses and afford to move up.”
Helen Hutchinson lives in Geneva County, but she came to the rally as a Country Crossing supporter from day one, she says.
“We need these jobs,” Hutchinson said. “We need to be able to put food on the table and clothes on our children. I think the governor is wrong. I think he should be supporting us. Our families are in need.”