According to a local newspaper in Birmingham, Alabama, a local dog track owner is planning on adding electronic bingo machines to his racetrack. The owner of the Birmingham dog track, Milton McGregor, was forced by law officers to remove casino-like gambling machines from his track a year ago. The Birmingham Racing Commission has documents that state McGregor is in agreement to a joint venture with Greenetrack. They are a Eutaw dog track that has several Las Vegas-style bingo machines. Under the current law in Birmingham, only Greenetrack and the VictoryLand track in Shorter are allowed to have the machines.
The track that McGregor owns is called Birmingham Race Course and was forced by the state Supreme Court to remove sweepstakes card readers one year ago. The court ruled that the card readers were in violation of the prohibition on gambling machines. McGregor’s current plan would be to add bingo machines that are similar to the sweepstakes machines and are designed to look like casino style slot machines. This plan however requires the passing of a constitutional amendment in a statewide vote.
McGregor has told the racing commission that the two dog tracks are going to create a new joint company. The new company would be owned in its majority by the Jefferson County Racing Association which is the parent company of the Birmingham track. The details of the agreement made between the two companies have not been released. The tracks website however states that 1,500 “Las Vegas gaming machines” will be added to the already live dog race track and simulcast racing. The mayor agrees with the venture and it is the hope of all involved that the issue will go to the ballet for voting in 2008.


- 2007-12-26