North Alabama could get first casino under plan

<p>North Alabama could get its first casino under a man's plan to turn over land for development to an Indian tribe based in Oklahoma, where it already has a gambling operation.</p><p>David Hammonds, who owns 69 acres adjacent to an ancient Indian burial site in Fort Payne, said he plans to transfer the property to the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians this week.</p><p>Hammonds said the plan is to open a gambling casino "as soon as possible" in Fort Payne, a textile town located in the northeast corner of the state near Georgia and Tennessee.</p><p>Charles Locust, vice chief of the Keetoowah, said the project remains in the planning stages.</p><p>"We're still just considering where we're going to go and what other services we want to provide once we have people who might want to relocate to work at that location. It will start off small," he said.</p><p>Patty Tucker, director of the DeKalb County Tourist Association, said the organization's board responded "very favorably" to Hammond's proposal for a gaming facility and an associated Indian cultural center.</p><p>"It could lead to an increase in hotels, restaurants, shops and spur economic growth in this community the likes of which we have never experienced before, and help offset some of the job loss we've had in the local hosiery industry," she said.</p><p>Hammonds said he hoped construction could begin "just as soon as all legal issues have been resolved." Construction of a tribal center for members who move to Alabama from Oklahoma could begin as early as March.</p><p>Alabama already has casino-style Indian gaming halls in Atmore, Wetumpka and Montgomery. The operations, run by the Poarch Creek tribe, offer electronic bingo and pull-tab games.</p><p>Hammonds said the gambling hall proposed for northeast Alabama would have the same type games. It won't offer slot machines, blackjack or roulette, he said.</p><p>In addition to the gambling halls run by the Poarch Creek Indians, electronic bingo games are offered at the dog tracks in Macon and Greene counties and in the Lowndes County town of White Hall.</p><p>The Keetoowah tribe, with about 10,000 members, operates a casino in Tahlequah, Okla. The group depends on revenue from the casino to fund about 80 percent of its tribal programs.</p><p>___</p><p>HASH(0x1d000b4)</p><p>___</p><p>HASH(0x1d00210)</p><p>___</p><p>HASH(0x1d011e8)</p>

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