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Third Raid Attempt on Country Crossing; Standoff Continues
01/29/10 - 01:46 PM

Jackson County Floridan

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A possible raid attempt against the Country Crossing development that has been brewing for more than a year finally erupted early Friday morning at the electronic bingo/country music development south of Dothan.

With Country Crossing attorneys and spokesmen watching, Alabama State Troopers filed into the entertainment complex at 4:07 a.m. Friday, about three hours after Country Crossing officials locked the doors to the electronic bingo pavilion. What followed was a scene that seemed lifted from a movie.

Dozens of troopers stood outside the bingo pavilion as Country Crossing attorneys Will Matthews and Will Somerville accused them of trespassing.
“You have no court order or search warrant,” Matthews said to Maj. Mark McHenry.

“That is correct,” McHenry responded.

“You’re trespassing on our property,” Matthews told him.

McHenry said he had been told to stay outside the bingo pavilion until given further instructions.

From that point on, a sometimes-contentious, sometimes-bizarre standoff occurred between the two sides, with each side eventually taking refuge inside their respective vehicles in the midst of an early morning chill.

Ronnie Gilley Enterprises Communication Director Doug Rainer said about 1 a.m. that Gov. Bob Riley’s Task Force on Illegal Gambling would likely raid the facility later in the morning.

Within an hour, the facility’s patrons had been evacuated and workers were seen emptying bingo machines.

Shortly thereafter, the doors were chained shut and the lights turned off.

Trooper Kevin Cook, a spokesman for the Alabama State Troopers, offered no comment on the situation except that troopers were awaiting further commands.
Matthews quickly went on the offensive, however, saying the doors wouldn’t be unlocked for the troopers.

“We’re locked up. You see the locks on the doors, so if they break in there, as far as I’m concerned, they’re burglars and they’re violating our property. Period,” Matthews said.

Country Crossing spokesman Jay Walker said he felt for the troopers but not for their cause.

“They’re trespassing on private property,” Walker said. “They don’t have a court order, a restraining order, any order from any judge whatsoever. I hate to see these troopers being put in this situation. You can tell this whole thing is a lot of theater and there’s not much bite to the snake.”

A raid was also being staged at VictoryLand in Shorter Friday morning, but a restraining order signed by a Macon County judge prevented it from taking place.
Both sides of the conflict remain staged at Country Crossing.