But Strange raided two others after they reopened with electronic games: Center Stage in Houston County in July and Southern Star Entertainment Center in Lowndes County in November. Some privately operated gambling halls have reopened in Greene County since then and continue to operate. Players have to put money on an electronic card and use it to play.Īttorney General Luther Strange has taken over the work of Riley's task force since he left office in January 2011. For instance, they no longer have a handle like slot machines to start a game, and they no longer accept money. Espy said the machines are by different manufacturers than VictoryLand used previously and they operate differently to address concerns raised by state officials.

He has installed 1,200 machines in anticipation of reopening and had them declared legal electronic bingo by the local sheriff. McGregor has been planning to reopen since a federal court jury acquitted him in March on charges accusing him of offering millions in bribes to legislators to support pro-gambling legislation. All that has remained since 2010 is simulcast dog and horse racing, which draws a few cars to the sprawling complex alongside Interstate 85. Without the casino, there wasn't enough business for the hotel, restaurant or live dog racing. Riley contended the games were illegal slots, but McGregor called them legal electronic bingo. The casino shut down in 2010 under pressure from Gov. VictoryLand, 15 miles west of Montgomery in Shorter, was once Alabama's biggest gambling operation with live dog racing, 6,000 electronic machines, a high-end restaurant and a golden-colored high-rise hotel. McGregor is hiring 200 to 250 workers for the reopening, and plans to add more machines and open other parts of the gambling operation as business permits. He said some wiring and synchronization of the 1,200 gambling machines in VictoryLand remains to be done.

McGregor hopes to get VictoryLand open before Christmas, but it will definitely be open before the end of the year, McGregor's attorney, Joe Espy, said at a news conference Thursday. More than two years have passed since Alabama TV audiences have seen ubiquitous ads by VictoryLand casino owner Milton McGregor proclaiming: 'You can be a winner, too.'īut the silver-haired casino boss is coming back after his acquittal on federal bribery charges.

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