WHY DID GOV. RILEY LIE to WTVY TV?
There is a multi-part video piece by TV Station WTVY about the Bingo situation in the state.
In the 2nd part of the series Governor Riley states ON CAMERA
““I have never been in an Indian Casino, I have never had a conversation with a Choctaw Indian,”
This as we have found out through some digging is a bold faced LIE!!!!
January 6th 2009 the Mobile Press Register had an article about the opening of the WIND CREEK CASINO in Atmore.
NOTICE in paragraph 12 this statement:
“We have a Class II gaming facility at present, because that is what the law allows,” said Buford Rolin, tribal chairman. “The governor did visit us about eight weeks ago, and admired the hotel. I didn’t push it.”
What follows is the full article:
Press-Register (Mobile, AL)
January 6, 2009
ATMORE CASINO OPENS TODAY
Author:
CONNIE BAGGETT; Staff Reporter
Edition: 03
Section: A
Page: 01
Estimated printed pages: 3
Article Text:
WIND CREEK ATMORE CASINO OPENS TODAY
CUTBACK IN MISSISSIPPI/4A
By CONNIE BAGGETT
Staff Reporter
ATMORE – A day before Wind Creek Casino and Hotel was scheduled to open, workers scrambled to put the finishing touches on the towering resort, which represents the Poarch Band of Creek Indians’ $240 million wager on its expansion in the gaming industry.
The resort’s casino and restaurants open today. The hotel is scheduled to open later this month.
Poarch Creek officials and their PCI Gaming management team described the resort in a presentation to elected officials and media representatives.
”Our research shows us that some 8.8 million visitors from Alabama and Florida visited Mississippi casinos in 2007,” said Jay Dorris, PCI Gaming president and chief executive officer. “We just want to invite them to come check our electronic machines, our better facilities, better staff and the better way we will take care of them. We open Jan. 6, but will have a grand opening Jan. 31. We hope things will be going so well we may be able to announce an expansion at that time.”
Dorris’ prediction was met with enthusiasm as people toured the shiny new building ready for the expected crowds, even as Indian gaming officials in Mississippi announced cutbacks at their operations.
”Our performance so far has been stunning,” said David Gehman, tribal councilman.
He said he voted against borrowing the $150 million to build the complex, but now can see the potential. He said projections show the tribe might be able to pay off the debt in three years instead of five. The struggling economy does not seem to be affecting gaming income for the bingo hall here, he said.
”We have heard rumblings of trouble in Philadelphia, Miss. We don’t believe that will happen here because we have a great location along Interstate 65, and we can pull gamers from Pensacola and Mobile.”
The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians announced Monday that it is cutting operations and eliminating more than 500 jobs at its Golden Moon Hotel and Casino near Philadelphia.
Although the Wind Creek Casino holds 1,600 electronic bingo games virtually indistinguishable from slot machines, there are no Class III games such as poker, blackjack or roulette.
”We have a Class II gaming facility at present, because that is what the law allows,” said Buford Rolin, tribal chairman. “The governor did visit us about eight weeks ago, and admired the hotel. I didn’t push it.”
Rolin said all it would take to have Class III gaming was a compact or agreement with the governor. “Hopefully in the future we can add those games,” Rolin said. “The not-too-distant future.”
PCI officials said the main difference between slot machines and electronic bingo machines is slot machines are independent, with the player versus the machine in a game of chance. Bingo machines are linked in groups by computers, so players are competing with each other and the machine in the game of chance. Legal descriptions are still the subject of debate.
The resort’s location is striking. In the middle of farming country, the hotel tower rises 16 floors high and features more than 230 rooms. The casino and restaurants open at 8 a.m. today, and the hotel will begin taking reservations for the middle of this month.
Chef Stafford DeCambra, described by PCI officials as the “rock star” of the development, said the four restaurants in the casino are ready for business, with staff members still learning and polishing their service skills. It was a trial by fire for most, he said, when 4,000 people invited for a test run Dec. 30 swamped the food outlets, which offer international cuisine, short orders and fine dining.
“We started at 11 a.m. and I was on the grill line,” DeCambra said. “I didn’t leave the line until after 4 p.m. Opening all these at once is scary for a chef, and we are on a learning curve, learning what people like. The goal is to make dining here an experience for everyone.”
CONNIE BAGGETT/Press-Register
Electronic bingo machines stand ready for action Monday at the Wind Creek casino in Atmore.
Copyright 2009, Press-Register. All Rights Reserved. Used by NewsBank with Permission.
How do you know when Bob Riley is lying? Answer: His lips are moving.
I have not trusted Bob Riley since he stole his way into office much like GW Bush stole his way into office..both are lying scoundrals, and both need to be prosicuted. Frankly the Democrats have wasted a chance to show the American People that laws do apply Presidents as well the people. Riley has been lying from the time he started his political correer. He lied on meeting the Indians, lied on the taxability of bingo halls, what else is he lying about?…. maybe we need to check his birth cirtificate while we check Obamas?
Read the Truth Emperor Bob…
SB 380 also establishes tax rates and where the money is to go.
The state tax rate on bingo would be 20% of gross earnings at locations with the exception of Country Crossings which would pay just 7.5% in state taxes for the first five years.
The State taxes would split the money between the Education Trust Fund at 65%, and the General Fund at 35% with that money going to Medicaid.
Local taxes would also be set at 5%. That money would benefit the home county with a percentage of taxes collected being split among non-bingo counties based on population.
Slot Machines are my amusement!
Hi, Very interesting article. I am quite impressed and just wanted to let you know that you did a fine job on this article. However, I do have some unanswered questions that I would like to ask you. I will contact you via email so that you can clear some of these things up for me. Again, very well written article. Keep up the good work.
Every word I’ve heard come out of Riley’s mouth is a lie. I knew that before he basically stole the last election and tried to tell people of his lies. Why hasn’t he been impeached yet with his dealings with Scanlon and Abranoff? That I can’t understand.
I couldn’t agree more…
My wife wrote an article a while back that got published in the local paper about Riley and his dealings with medicaid , Healthsouth and his approval of a tax increase to pay that money back . When I find it I will email a copy to you.
Bob is going down.
Riley should be doing MORE to protect the good citizens of Alabama from themselves and other evil influences!
There are rumors that some interstate travelers play chinese checkers as they drive through Alabama! Riley should use his supreme powers, and deploy state troupers for roadblocks . . . inspect all cars and stop the evil.
Can he shame himself and Alabama more than he already has?
Riley did not start his raids on the bingo casino until after country crossing opened up the reason he did this is because thet did not go ask his permission they went to county comm. they did not line his pockets and it made him mad . So you see he is a crook from the word go and always has been also the biggest liar in the state of AL.