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Etowah County leaders are one step closer to deciding whether to allow one or more electronic charity bingo halls to open in the county. The county has operated traditional paper bingo halls for nearly 20 years.
At a special called commission meeting Saturday morning, commissioners voted to purchase more than 1,000 acres of land adjacent to I-59 Southbound--land on which at least two video-game bingo corporations have expressed interest in constructing bingo halls.
According to Etowah County Chief Executive Officer Patrick Simms, the county had been negotiating the purchase of the property--which borders St. Clair County--for nearly two years. The intent was to develop it for industrial use as part of the county's long-term economic development plan.
"We felt like it was an opportunity we couldn't pass up," Simms said. "The property was once on the short list for a Saturn (automotive) plant that eventually located in Tenn., (it) was on the short list for the Anheuser-Bush brewery that located in Ga., and given the fact that Volkswagen made a commitment to Chattanooga, we figured this would be the time to make a move on this property."
It wasn't until recently that two bingo corporations, CBS Supply LLC and Coosa Entertainment, proposed to develop the land commercially as sites for charity electronic bingo halls. The county is in the process of reviewing both proposals. However, Simms says there are a few hurdles that need to be overcome to make the property suitable for commercial development. For example, it has limited access to the Interstate it parallels, and does not have the infrastructure necessary to allow for utilities.
"Both would have to be developed first before you can look at a commercial aspect," Simms said.
Still, the option is on the table, and county leaders are giving it serious consideration.
As a result of new regulations on electronic charity bingo operations that the county commission imposed in July, any business interested in setting up a video-gaming bingo hall must meet a number of requirements. First, the business must invest at least $2 million before a permit can be issued. Second, the business must provide 2,000 jobs, 70-percent of which must be given to Etowah County residents. Third, the business must be included as part of a larger development that includes a brand hotel, an entertainment facility and restaurants.
"What they've done with the rules and regulations is raised the bar so high that if (bingo corporations) want to be part of (the county's) economic development plan, it's got to be an upscale operation," said Jimmie Harp, Etowah County district attorney. "It's not going to be a permanent, metal building type of facility."
Harp and Simms say one of their concerns was that, by not imposing restrictive rules on the formation of electronic bingo halls, they would proliferate.
"When we got to looking into this, we saw problems in Walker County," Simms said. "That was one of our main objectives in setting the bar so high: trying to keep those corner operations, those mom-and-pop operations, from popping up all over the county like we've seen in other counties."
In addition to providing 2-million in investment and 2,000 jobs, charity bingo calls are required by law to give 100-percent of their net income to its home county. One of the most pressing issues in the county, Simms said, is dilapidated roads, and any revenue generated by a large-scale charity bingo hall could provide the economic boon the county needs to make the necessary road repairs.
"Obviously, if I can help bring in millions of dollars to Etowah County to address safety issues for our children and citizens on our roads, that's what we're going to look at."
Before the commission votes on the matter, the public is invited to speak before the commission at 8 p.m. Monday, Aug. 25 in the commission chambers at the Etowah County Courthouse.
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