Country (BINGO!!!) Crossing

     As developers of Country Crossing get ready to open their doors next week, the fight over one feature of the entertainment complex---electronic Bingo machines---looms large. The Press-Register has a good piece by George Altman on the controversy this morning.

     You can either credit Bob Riley for sticking to his beliefs, even if it means going up against the Country Music crowd, or criticize him for being stubborn and refusing to work toward changing state law (if that's what it takes) to let the tens or hundreds of thousands of Alabamians entertain themselves the way they want to at a time when unemployment is at historic highs.
     The almost all-GOP Alabama Supreme Court ruled against a much less grandiose facility last week, finding that the electronic games at the White Hall Entertainment Center violate state law. It's closed down, at least temporarily, while the dust settles. The Guv says the court decision means all electronic bingo is out. The developers of Country Crossing and others disagree.

[PLUS: The Montgomery Advertiser's Sebastian Kitchen has a report on the differences of opinion about the Alabama Supreme Court ruling.
Dana Beyerle writes about the conflict in the NY Times Regional Newspapers, quoting a Riley spokesman as saying the machines at Milton McGreggor's Victoryland are illegal.
And The Dothan Eagle issues an editorial challenge to Riley to come explain himself to their editorial board as to why he hasn't raided Victoryland but has been fighting Country Crossing.]