Two major players in Alabama‘s hospitality and tourism industry, Poarch Band of Creek Indians-operated Wind Creek Hospitality and Birmingham Racecourse and Casino and VictoryLand Casino owners, the McGregor family, have announced inking a new deal.
Namely, Wind Creek has agreed to acquire the Birmingham Racecourse, with the expected closing time for the transaction set for early 2025.
Premier Entertainment Destination in the Southeast
Once the sale procedure is completed, Wind Creek aims to turn the Birmingham Racecourse into a top-tier entertainment hub for the Southeast region.
While the venue will keep offering its existing parimutuel and historical horse racing games, it will also undergo some major upgrades.
Birmingham Racecourse and VictoryLand’s president and chief executive officer, Lewis Benefield, noted that the McGregor family has long aimed to boost gaming and entertainment at the location but always hit legal and regulatory hurdles.
Benefield also took the opportunity to speak about their commitment to provide “the best possible experience” for customers and employees, “while generating significant tax revenue for the state of Alabama and local charities” that has expanded over the course of three decades.
The president mentioned the “hundreds of millions of dollars” they have paid to the Yellowhammer State as well as local charities, schools, hospitals, charities, and other organizations that required financial assistance.
The McGregors, Advocating for Unified Gaming Legislation
The Montgomery veterinarian also took the opportunity to argue that Birmingham residents want “the same types of entertainment offered at other facilities in and around Alabama.”
“Unfortunately,” he further explained, “differing state laws and enforcement actions regarding gaming have limited our ability to compete effectively.”
Now, the family of the late Milton McGregor will focus their efforts on VictoryLand in Macon County while asking for “unified gaming legislation in Alabama.”
In turn, this would attract “much-needed revenue for the people of Alabama.”
Big Step Forward
Atmore-located Wind Creek Hospitality, deemed as one of the nation’s quickest-developing gaming companies, considers the recent acquisition a big step forward in their plan to build on the investments already made at the venue.
The company aims to collaborate with local officials and stakeholders for the upcoming phase of the development.
Wind Creek Hospitality’s president and chief executive officer, Jay Dorris, expressed their excitement “to bring the Birmingham Racecourse into the Wind Creek family.”
Dorris also spoke about the common goals that they share with the McGregor family: “providing great entertainment, attracting tourism, and creating economic growth in Alabama.”
Poarch Band of Creek Indians Feel “Fortunate” About the Acquisition
The Poarch Band of Creek Indians’ tribal chair and chief executive officer, Stephanie Bryan, took the opportunity to highlight the tribe’s current connections to the Birmingham area, noting their support for local organizations including Birmingham Zoo and Birmingham Promise.
Bryan also emphasized Wind Creek’s determination to turn the Racecourse into a cornerstone of the local economy by generating jobs and tax revenue.
“When it comes to attracting tourism, this is an incredibly important area of the state,” the CEO acknowledged while praising Arthur Mothershed’s contribution to the acquisition procedure.
Mothershed, who is a tribal council member and also Wind Creek’s vice president of business development, used his “expertise and leadership” to represent the interests of the Tribe as well as their gaming business. In February 2023, Wind Creek Hospitality acquired Magic City Casino in Miami as a way of expanding its presence in the US land-based gaming market.