Poarch Band of Creek Indians announces $50 million Resort Hotel expansion at OWA
The Poarch Band of Creek Indians announced a significant addition to the OWA Parks & Resort destination, with a $50M+ resort-style hotel planned to open in May 2025. Located on the northeast side of the newly opened Tropic Falls waterpark, this expansion will provide guests with another convenient lodging option just steps away from all that OWA has to offer. Architects from Dale Partners of Jackson, Miss., were selected to create the colorful, sleek design and tropical-inspired theme. Rabren General Contractors, one of the largest general contractors in Alabama, has been selected to oversee the construction. “We are very excited to add this tropical-inspired resort hotel to our portfolio,” said Cody Williamson, President/CEO of Creek Indian Enterprises Development Authority. “This new hotel will give guests another option to relax in Coastal Alabama, while still enjoying all the fun amenities that OWA has to offer. We continue to focus on these types of investment projects, which enable us to remain a strong economic partner for the local tourism industry and State of Alabama.” Development plans call for tropical-themed guest rooms that include a kitchenette and workspace, along with optional bunk bed spaces for larger families. Other key resort amenities will include an outdoor resort-style pool with a bar and grill, 24-hour fitness center, meeting space, lounge, convenience store, and arcade; along with complimentary valet service, wifi, and breakfast. The new hotel development, combined with the recent $70 million expansion of the Tropic Falls Water Park, the newly opened luxury Tropic Hideaway RV Park, and the continued growth of new businesses in Downtown OWA demonstrates The Tribe’s continued commitment to advance and improve the already top-notch offerings at OWA Parks and Resort. Once completed, the new resort hotel will bring the Poarch Band of Creek Indian’s total investment into the OWA’s project to $414 million.
Poarch Band Creek of Indians set to purchase Miami-based Magic City Casino
On Thursday, owners of one of the longest-running gambling operations in Florida are selling Magic City Casino in Miami to the Poarch Band Creek of Indians, a Native American tribe based in Alabama, the Miami Herald reported. The owners, the Havenick family, are selling for an undisclosed price and will ask the state to transfer its gambling permit, allowing the tribe to own and operate Magic City Casino and retain control of the casino’s greyhound permit, which was first issued in 1931 when racing was legalized in Florida. Greyhound racing is now banned in Florida, but the permit remains in force and is the reason Magic City can legally operate slot machines. The transfer will have to be approved by the Florida Gaming Control Commission. The Commission met on Thursday morning and reviewed the application, but postponed any decision to allow for public input, reported the Commercial Observer. According to the report, the application submitted, West Flagler Associates entered into an asset purchase agreement with Wind Creek Miami, LLC, a subsidiary of the Poarch tribe, to acquire 100% ownership interest and equity interest in the permit. The agency’s staff is recommending approval of the transfer. However, more than 100 pages in the application posted on the Commission’s website have been redacted, leaving the public in the dark about key details of the agreement. The application states, “Because it is acquiring the permit, Wind Creek will also acquire a parimutuel operating license, cardroom license, and the slot machine license for the 2022-2023 fiscal year.’’ John Sowinski, president of No Casinos, an anti-casino advocacy group, has urged the commission to allow time before they vote. “The Gaming Control Commission was created with the promise of greater transparency and public view into the world of gambling policy making, regulation, and enforcement,’’ Sowinski said. “In that spirit, this agenda item should be fully disclosed and should be postponed until the public has time to see what’s going on and the gaming commission can make a decision with the benefit of public input.” “Ninety-three percent of this application is shielded,” he added. The Havenick family’s other gambling operations will remain in the family’s control. Those include a permit to operate summer jai alai and poker in Miami’s Edgewater neighborhood and the Bonita Springs Poker Room near Fort Myers. Wind Creek Miami, LLC is a subsidiary of the tribe’s principal gaming and hospitality entity, the PCI Gaming Authority. The PCI Gaming Authority owns ten gaming operations across the country and runs gambling operations in Atmore, Montgomery, and Wetumpka in Alabama, the Renaissance Aruba and Renaissance Curacao, and the Mobile Greyhound Track in Alabama. Currently, West Flagler Associates is the plaintiff in a lawsuit against an agreement between Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Seminole Tribe of Florida, which would have given the tribe rights to operate online sports betting, on and off Seminole land, which would have given the Seminole Tribe a monopoly on sports betting in the state. A federal judge in the District of Columbia invalidated the compact, putting a hold on all sports betting and gaming expansion in Florida indefinitely. Should the Seminoles win their appeal, they would be legally able to offer wagering, Sports Handle reported. Oral arguments are set for December 14. This year, the Alabama legislature considered but did not pass any bills to expand gambling in the state. The Alabama Legislature and Alabama voters have historically rejected gambling at the ballot box.
Documentary on Alabama’s Poarch Band of Creek Indians to premiere APT
A new documentary about Alabama’s Poarch Band of Creek Indians will premiere on Alabama Public Television (APT) on Thursday, November 17, at 8:30 p.m. Produced by Jacksonville State University’s Longleaf Studios, “The Forgotten Creeks” can also be streamed from APT’s website and the PBS video app starting November 17. “We are honored that our Tribe was selected to be the subject of this documentary produced by Jacksonville State University and Alabama Public Television,” said Stephanie Bryan, Poarch Band of Creek Indians Tribal Chair. “We feel incredibly blessed to have this recounting of both our history and our lives today.” “The Forgotten Creeks” recalls the history of Alabama’s Mvskoke Creek Indians from Spanish contact in the 1500s through the Indian Removal Act of 1830. The documentary explores what happened to those Mvskoke Creeks who remained in Alabama following the Trail of Tears and documents those ensuing years of poverty, assimilation, and discrimination that nearly destroyed their indigenous identity. It also traces how finally, in 1984, after more than 40 years of unwavering advocacy by Tribal Leaders, the federal government recognized the Tribe as a sovereign, or independent, Indian nation with ancestral lands in Atmore, Alabama, and elsewhere in the state. Federal recognition was the beginning of a new chapter in the Tribe’s history. Economic development brought self-sufficiency, and the Tribe’s focus on educational opportunities, family values, and faith guided its transition to prosperity. “As an APT commissioner, JSU employee, and friend of the Poarch people for nearly 30 years, it was a real honor to connect these organizations and work together to produce such an important documentary,” said Pete Conroy, director of strategic partnerships and special projects at JSU. “I particularly thank Tribal Leadership for their trust and also JSU producer and director Seth Johnson for his mastery in telling this powerful story.” Seth Johnson, who serves as distinguished professor of graphic design and assistant dean of the College of Arts and Humanities at JSU, stated, “Producing this film was a rewarding experience. Our students were able to work alongside an accomplished film studio in the production of the film and gained valuable industry experience in doing so. We owe a significant thank you to the Poarch Creek Tribal Members that gave us their trust, welcomed us into their homes, and allowed us to tell their story.” The Poarch Band of Creek Indians is the only federally recognized tribe in Alabama.
Greenetrack will reopen tonight
Greenetrack will hold a grand re-opening tonight of its Gaming Center. The casino closed in the aftermath of the Alabama Supreme Court decision finding for the state, stripping the “charity bingo” of its non-profit status and ordering Greenetrack to pay $76 million in disputed back taxes. Greenetrack is reopening on very shaky legal ground. The Alabama Supreme Court ruled last week that three other casinos in Lowndes and Macon County were illegal gambling halls, not bingo halls as their owners maintain. The state’s highest court remanded the case back to the lower court and ordered those judges to issue orders that those three casinos close within thirty days. The Court on Friday expounded on earlier court decisions going back to 2009 that bingo is a game played on paper cards. The court has ruled that gambling machines at the facility, very similar to the ones at Greenetrack, are (under Alabama law) illegal gambling machines and not electronic bingo machines as their operators claimed to the court. Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall said in a statement that he was pursuing a separate court action to permanently close Greenetrack. Greenetrack CEO Luther Winn told the Tuscaloosa Thread that the casino will reopen Friday at 5 p.m. and will offer “Las Vegas-style games, mechanical reels, new titles,” and more. “We’re reopening with a product proven to be the top-growing market in the United States with historical horseracing,” Winn said, “We’ll have really nice games that are very competitive and fun to play.” Winn said Greenetrack, which employs an estimated 80 people in Eutaw, is essential to the Greene County economy. “Re-opening means that Greene County, I’m hoping, can take a deep breath, and people can depend on Greenetrack again for employment for years to come,” Winn said. The Alabama Constitution of 1901 outlaws games of chance. That 121-year-old document has not been reversed. Confusion entered into the law when certain counties, including Greene, Macon, Jefferson, and Mobile, passed local county-wide constitutional amendments allowing dog and/or horse racing in Alabama. Greenetrack opened as a dog track where people could bet on live dog races. That was followed by amendments allowing charity bingo. Over time, the tracks went to bingo and then put in electronic bingo machines, which state officials allowed. The Poarch Band of Creek Indians (PCI), Alabama’s only federally recognized Indian tribe, asked for and got a license from the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs to build their own “electronic bingo” halls in Atmore and Wetumpka under the 1986 Indian Gaming Act. Then-Attorney General Troy King issued an attorney general’s opinion that affirmed that electronic bingo was legal under the charity bingo amendments to the Alabama Constitution. Then Gov. Bob Riley appointed Mobile County District Attorney John Tyson, a political rival of King’s, to head a gambling task force that began seizing the electronic gambling machines. The Alabama Supreme Court found that Riley and Tyson were correct and that bingo cannot be played on a machine. Robert Bentley followed Riley as Governor, closed down the Governor’s gambling task force, and issued an executive order that prohibited state troopers from enforcing the law against gaming. Gov. Kay Ivey has continued the Bentley policy on gambling. In 2020 the Governor’s task force on gambling issued a lengthy report urging the Legislature to pass legislation allowing the current casinos to operate legally and impose a state lottery. State Sens. Greg Albritton and Del Marsh both separately brought the governor’s legislation, and it passed the State Senate in 2021 and 2022. The Alabama House of Representatives did not. Gov. Ivey has said that her greatest regret from her first term is that the Legislature has not passed gambling legislation. Marshall, meanwhile, has pursued legal actions to shut down the casinos. The Greenetrack Gaming Center has been in the process of remodeling and refurbishing its gambling machines since August. It reopens tonight, but its legality and its future remain in doubt. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Poarch Band of Creek Indians acquires Fortis Industries, Inc.
The Poarch Band of Creek Indians (PBCI) announced today it purchased Fortis Industries, Inc., a Huntsville, Alabama based company. Fortis Industries will remain a standalone business and operate under the direction of Ecke Holding Company, dba PCI Federal Services (PCIFS) – a division of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians. The change in ownership took place on July 8, 2022. “PCI Federal Services continues to expand our Government Contracting Services footprint and Fortis Industries brings an exciting addition to our growing Federal Agency support initiatives. We are thrilled to add them to our portfolio of companies,” said Stephanie A. Bryan, Chairwoman and CEO of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians. Chairwoman Bryan continued, “We are particularly excited to continue advancing our growth in the Huntsville area as well as Alabama as a whole.” The Poarch Band of Creek Indians is the only federally recognized tribe in Alabama. The Poarch Creek Indians are descendants of a segment of the original Creek Nation that once covered almost all of Alabama and Georgia. Fortis Industries, Inc. is a Veteran-Owned Small Business headquartered in Huntsville, Alabama. They offer services for the Department of Defense (DoD) and other Federal Government Agencies. Clients include the General Services Administration (GSA), Department of the Navy, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and Department of the Army, among others. “We could not ask for a better partner to join than the Poarch Band of Creek Indians in our effort to provide superior facility services to the U.S. Government. This acquisition enables our Alabama-based organizations to grow and expand our capabilities across the federal government while creating employee and community opportunities,” said Josh Hancock, CEO of Fortis Industries. Josh Hancock (CEO), Casey Palmer (COO), and Brett Holt (CFO) will remain in their existing leadership roles. Fortis Industries’ professionals, clients, and partner firms will see no change in business operations.
State lottery, casino bill proposed in Alabama Legislature
An Alabama lawmaker on Thursday introduced a proposal to create a lottery and allow multiple casinos, as well as sports betting, in the state, but the bill faces a ticking legislative clock and long-term divisions that have sunk previous gambling proposals. “It’s time Alabama got in the game,” Republican Sen. Greg Albritton said at a news conference. Albritton said the state is missing out on hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue each year. “We need to take action on this now,” he said. “Waiting another year is not going to help us.” The bill introduced Thursday would create a state lottery with proceeds going to fund college scholarships and other education needs. It would also authorize eight casinos with table games and online sports betting at sites owned by the Poarch Band of Creek Indians and at existing dog tracks. It would also authorize two smaller operations with up to 300 slot machines. Four casinos would be located at the site of existing dog tracks: Greenetrack in Greene County, the Birmingham Race Course in Jefferson County, VictoryLand in Macon County, and the Mobile County Greyhound Racing facility in Mobile County. The licenses would be competitively bid, although the track owners would have the opportunity to come in and make a final bid for the license. A fifth casino operated by the Poarch Band of Creek Indians would be located in either DeKalb County or Jackson County. The tribe, under federal law, would also be allowed table games at its three existing locations. Two smaller sites — one in Lowndes County and one in Houston County — would be allowed to operate a limited number of electronic gambling machines. Rep. Kelvin Lawrence, a Democrat from Hayneville, said the bill would likely lead to the closure of both existing electronic bingo facilities in Lowndes County. A single site in the county could have up to 300 gambling machines under the proposal. “It’s just an effort to appease us, but it basically puts us on life support. … We’re talking about a community that is underprivileged, 90% poverty. It would be a catastrophe if those facilities are closed,” Lawrence said. If approved by lawmakers, the proposal would go before voters in November. Albritton said he wants a committee vote on the proposal Tuesday. However, there are 12 meeting days remaining in the 30-day regular legislative session, giving the measure a small window to win approval. “We’ll have to see how the body reacts to the work that he’s done in regard to this very important issue,” Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Reed said when asked about the bill’s chances. The latest bill is similar to one state senators approved last year, but the measure failed in the Alabama House of Representatives. Alabama is just one of five states — along with Nevada, Utah, Alaska, and Hawaii — without a state lottery. Voters in 1999 rejected a lottery proposed by then-Gov. Don Siegelman. Since then, efforts to legalize casinos or create a state lottery have failed under a fatal mix of conservative opposition to legalized gambling and turf wars over who will get the licenses for the lucrative games. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
Gambling legislation again before lawmakers in ’22 session
Lottery and casino legislation will again be introduced in Alabama’s upcoming legislative session — with the goal of getting the measure before voters in November — but the outlook for the proposal is unclear as lawmakers face primaries this spring. Republican Sen. Greg Albritton of Range said he plans to introduce a proposed constitutional amendment that would include a state lottery, a compact with the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, and a yet-to-be-determined number of other gambling sites. “This simply needs to get off our plate, off the table. We need to deal with this, and waiting another year is not going to help us. That would just be revenue thrown aside or thrown away,” Albritton said. The Alabama Senate last year approved a proposed constitutional amendment that would establish a state lottery as well as allow nine casino sites in the state, but the measure stalled in the House of Representatives. “My goal is to find a path to get the votes that we need,” Albritton said of ongoing discussions. However, some members of the Republican leadership are doubtful about the outlook for any gambling legislation. Lawmakers face primaries in May, which brings both election concerns and time constraints in the 2022 session, a key member said. “I would be very surprised if it would pass in a regular session in an election year,” Republican Rep. Steve Clouse, chairman of the House general fund budget committee, said. “By the time we get toward to end of March, first of April, people are going to be antsy to get out of there.” Robbie McGhee, vice chairman of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians Tribal Council, said lawmakers would be giving the final decision to voters since the measure would have to be approved in a statewide vote. Albritton said his goal is to get the measure before voters in November. “I think this is the perfect opportunity to say, ‘That I’m going to give the power to people to make this decision,’” McGhee said. Gambling legislation in the past has failed under a mix of opposition from conservative lawmakers and turf wars over who would get lucrative casino licenses. Owners of dog tracks and other electronic bingo operations have argued the Poarch Creeks should not have a monopoly. Last year’s Senate-passed bill, in addition to authorizing casinos operated by the tribe, would have given existing dog tracks and electronic bingo operations, such as Greenetrack and VictoryLand dog tracks, an advantage in trying to win the other casino licenses. It is unclear what this year’s bill would mean for those sites. Albritton said he expected the sites would initially have an interim license to continue gaming. Albritton said he plans to propose that gambling revenue partly be used to fund mental health care and facilities. “That seems to be one major gap that we have in our state,” he said. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
Poarch Creek tribe to get $900,000 from federal HUD grant
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Deputy Secretary Adrianne Todman will hold a virtual press call on Wednesday, November 10th, to announce the allocations of $73.9 million in the first round of Indian Community Block Grant-American Rescue Plan (ICDBG-ARP) funding to 68 tribal communities. In March, President Joe Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, which provided $750 million dollars in HUD resources to Indian Country to support the continued fight against COVID-19. It also includes $450 million for the Indian Housing Block Grant program, $280 million for the Indian Community Development Block Grant program, $5 million for the Native Hawaiian Housing Block Grant program, and $10 million for related technical assistance resources. The Poarch Band of Creek Indians has requested $900,000 to construct a 9,000 square foot emergency managementwarehouse. The building will include a drive-through for COVID vaccinations and office space for emergency service personnel and other medical services.
Poarch Creek Indians to host Escambia County COVID vaccination site
Rural communities in Alabama are going to have additional resources and access to Covid-19 vaccinations this week. The Poarch Band of Creek Indians will assist the state of Alabama in distributing Pfizer vaccines to rural communities in Escambia County. A drive-thru clinic will be at the Tribe’s Reservation on Wednesday, March 31, and Thursday, April 1. The reservation is off Exit 54 of U.S. 65-N. To get to the site of the clinic, they will enter the Reservation through Parades Way, either right before or right after passing the Tribal Administration Building at 5811 Jack Springs Road. There will be signs and staff from the Tribe directing individuals to the correct place. No appointment is needed, and the clinic will offer vaccinations from 8 am – 5 pm. Individuals who receive their first dose on March 31 will come back on April 21, and those that receive their first dose on April 1 will come back on April 22. The Indian Health Service announced Monday that it is shifting its vaccine distribution system to target individual hospitals and clinics with high demand for shots. The federal agency is part of a national effort to immunize Indigenous communities. A disproportionate number of Native Americans have become sickened and died from COVID-19. The State of Alabama’s eligibility requirements can be found here. There is no cost to receive the vaccine.
Lottery, casino vote ahead in Alabama Legislature
Alabama lawmakers are headed to a vote on a lottery and casino bill next week, the bill sponsor said Thursday, even though last-minute negotiations are continuing over the number of casinos and other details. Republican Sen. Del Marsh of Anniston said he expects his bill will come to the Senate floor Tuesday in what will be the first major test of the proposal to start a lottery and have as many as 10 casinos in the state. If approved by both chambers of the Alabama Legislature, the measure will go before voters for final approval. Alabamians voted down the idea of a state lottery in 1999. Marsh argued it is time to put the idea in front of voters again, and he believes they will approve it. “The polling shows even among Republicans, the vast majority are ready to vote on this,” Marsh said, adding that he thinks that they will vote to approve it. “There’s no doubt that the lottery is more popular. But the gaming is actually more popular than I expected in the polling,” Marsh said. Many of the details of the bill were undecided as of Thursday. The current bill proposes establishing a state lottery and five casinos — one at four existing dog tracks plus a fifth site in north Alabama that would be run by the Poarch Band of Creek Indians. It also urges the governor to negotiate with the Poarch Band for a compact involving their three existing sites that currently have electronic bingo machines. Other smaller operators, including sites in Lowndes and Houston counties, have asked to be included. Marsh said one idea is to increase the five sites to seven based on Alabama’s congressional districts, and have would-be casino operators apply for the license in those two districts. Marsh contended he has the 21 votes needed to pass the bill in the 35-member Alabama Senate. “I have the votes, whether it’s a five (casino) plan or a seven plan,” Marsh said of the Senate vote. But he said the additional work should boost its chances in the House of Representatives, a body that has traditionally been more skeptical of gambling legislation. Senate Majority Leader Clay Scofield, R-Guntersville, said the people in his district seem to support a lottery, but not casinos. “Lottery, I hear that a lot. I hear that a lot that people want to vote on a lottery yesterday. I’m receiving a tremendous amount of emails and phone calls opposed to casinos,” Scofield said, adding that other senators are not receiving that feedback. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
Kay Ivey seeks pause on gambling debate, says facts needed
Kay Ivey said she wants to hear findings from a new work group before the gambling issue moves forward.
Five things you need to know about Troy King
The primary elections are over, but some highly sought spots still remain open due to the primary races resulting in runoffs. One of those races is for the Attorney General’s seat. In a highly contested and publicized race, Incumbent Steve Marshall and former Alabama Attorney General Troy King both garnered enough support to tip the race into a a runoff election set for July 17. With that in mind, here are five things you need to know about Troy King: 1. He was Alabama’s Attorney General in from 2004 to 2010. It’s safe to say King knows a thing or two about the day-to-day proceedings of the Alabama Attorney General’s office. He was first appointed attorney general in 2004 by former Gov. Bob Riley, after William Pryor left the office to accept federal judge position with the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals. In 2006, King defeated democratic nominee John M. Tyson in the November general election of that year. He served as Attorney General for one term after his election, and was defeated by Luther Strange in the 2010 Republican primary; but now he’s back and ready to ultimately find victory as the Party’s nominee. 2. He was instrumental in bringing changes to the Yellowhammer State’s sex offender laws. While serving as Attorney General, King made it his mission to bring new laws regarding sex offenders to the state. Specifically he wanted the state to require that Alabama’s sex offenders who were released wear an electronic monitoring bracelet (such as those used for those on house arrest or parole) to monitor the sex offenders whereabouts. He was so adamant about his position that he wore an electronic monitoring bracelet himself during the 2005 legislative session, until the law was changed. 3. Although he is very opposed to gambling of any kind in Alabama, he’s accepted campaign donations from out of state gambling interests. During his time as Attorney General, not only did he introduce anti-gambling legislation every year of his time in public office, he also prosecuted several electronic gambling sites, opposed a gambling expansion for the Native American tribes in Alabama, and even requested that the United States Department of the Interior deny the Poarch Band of Creek Indian’s application to broaden their gambling operations in the state. But a recent report by AL.com claims King has received “about $90,000 from five South Carolina companies and individuals with links to gaming.” According to the report, one of the major donors from South Carolina, Keith Gray, is involved in the gambling business, with one of his businesses being prosecuted in 2017 by the state of Alabama. Gray reportedly used his own name, names of family members, and business associates to donate to King’s campaign, including two companies called Open Ocean Investments and Sycamore Investments. Which have, “disconnected phone numbers, [and] share a post office box in Piedmont, South Carolina.” 4. He was the first Attorney General to sue BP after Deepwater horizon. On April 20, 2010, an explosion on an oil rig off the coast of Luisiana, called Deep Water Horizon, started a chain of events which eventually led to around 4.9 million barrels of oil being pumped into the Gulf of Mexico. The spill caused massive amounts of damage to coastal ecosystems and communities located near the gulf. Under King’s leadership, Alabama was the first state impacted by the Deep water Horizon oil spill to file a lawsuit against the oil rig’s owners, BP. “BP is now on notice,” King told CNN. “Alabama intends to hold you good to your word and to make you put our state back the way you found it.” King’s actions led to a settlement with BP in which the state was awarded $1.3 billion to be paid out over 14 years. 5. His favorite musician is Johnny Cash (at least on Facebook anyway). According to King’s campaign Facebook page, his favorite music to listen to is Johnny Cash. Cash is a very famous country artist best known for his songs “Boy Named Sue” and “Ring of Fire.”
