MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Poarch Band of Creek Indians announced Monday that its Wind Creek Hospitality brand will acquire the Birmingham Racecourse and Casino in northeast Jefferson County.
The property is currently owned by the family of the late Milton McGregor and they participated in Monday’s announcement. The McGregors will still own Victoryland in Macon County.
According to the announcement, Wind Creek will “transform” the property into “a premier entertainment destination in the Southeast and will continue to offer parimutuel and historical horse racing games currently in operation and the facility.”
The acquisition will give PCI ownership of four casinos statewide, with the others being on each of their tribal lands in Wetumpka, Montgomery and Atmore. The tribe also owns several hotel and casino properties in other states.
Stephanie Bryan, PCI’s tribal chair and CEO, said the tribe wants to build up the Birmingham location to be a major tourist attraction.
“Birmingham is one of the most vibrant cities in America, and we feel very fortunate that this acquisition will allow us to increase the investment and deepen the relationships that we already have in Birmingham,” Bryan said. “When it comes to attracting tourism, this is an incredibly important area of the state. We are committed to building on the success of both the Birmingham Racecourse and Casino and our Wind Creek brand by ensuring that this property will keep tourist dollars here at home and provide jobs that support Alabama families.“
Non-Indian casinos have faced multiple series of crackdowns over the years as the state has endeavored to enforce laws banning the use of slot machines. That has led to several state enforcement actions at casinos big and small, as well as casinos routinely changing their machines to stay ahead of the law.
Lewis Benefield, McGregor’s son in law who manages both casino properties, acknowledged the challenge that posed to the Birmingham location.
“Unfortunately, differing state laws and enforcement actions regarding gaming have limited our ability to compete effectively,” Benefield said. “The McGregor family will now focus their efforts on Victoryland in Macon County and advocate for unified gaming legislation in Alabama which would capture much-needed revenue for the people of Alabama.”
In last spring’s legislative session, gambling dominated much of the discussion as lawmakers debated a comprehensive plan that would have expanded and regulated casinos in the state, while also legalizing sports betting and instituting a state lottery. The plan passed the House overwhelmingly, but failed in the Senate, partly due to opposition from PCI. Lawmakers have demurred when asked if gambling could be an issue in the next legislative session, which begins Feb. 4.