What’s Next for VictoryLand and Macon County

Rachel Osier Lindley | January 21, 2016

 ========= Old Image Removed =========Array
(
    [_wp_attached_file] => Array
        (
            [0] => 2016/01/outside-victoryland.jpg
        )

    [_wp_attachment_metadata] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:5:{s:5:"width";i:460;s:6:"height";i:306;s:4:"file";s:31:"2016/01/outside-victoryland.jpg";s:5:"sizes";a:5:{s:6:"medium";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:31:"outside-victoryland-336x224.jpg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:224;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:31:"outside-victoryland-140x140.jpg";s:5:"width";i:140;s:6:"height";i:140;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:29:"outside-victoryland-80x80.jpg";s:5:"width";i:80;s:6:"height";i:80;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:31:"outside-victoryland-398x265.jpg";s:5:"width";i:398;s:6:"height";i:265;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:31:"outside-victoryland-125x125.jpg";s:5:"width";i:125;s:6:"height";i:125;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}}s:10:"image_meta";a:12:{s:8:"aperture";s:1:"0";s:6:"credit";s:0:"";s:6:"camera";s:0:"";s:7:"caption";s:0:"";s:17:"created_timestamp";s:1:"0";s:9:"copyright";s:0:"";s:12:"focal_length";s:1:"0";s:3:"iso";s:1:"0";s:13:"shutter_speed";s:1:"0";s:5:"title";s:0:"";s:11:"orientation";s:1:"0";s:8:"keywords";a:0:{}}}
        )

    [_media_credit] => Array
        (
            [0] => Cody Owens
        )

    [_navis_media_credit_org] => Array
        (
            [0] => WELD
        )

    [_navis_media_can_distribute] => Array
        (
            [0] => 
        )

    [_imagify_optimization_level] => Array
        (
            [0] => 1
        )

    [_imagify_data] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:2:{s:5:"stats";a:3:{s:13:"original_size";i:93504;s:14:"optimized_size";i:69162;s:7:"percent";d:26.030000000000001;}s:5:"sizes";a:6:{s:4:"full";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:59:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2016/01/outside-victoryland.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:38395;s:14:"optimized_size";i:28049;s:7:"percent";d:26.949999999999999;}s:9:"thumbnail";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:67:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2016/01/outside-victoryland-140x140.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:6600;s:14:"optimized_size";i:4975;s:7:"percent";d:24.620000000000001;}s:6:"medium";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:22:"Unknown error occurred";}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:67:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2016/01/outside-victoryland-300x300.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:21415;s:14:"optimized_size";i:15902;s:7:"percent";d:25.739999999999998;}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:67:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2016/01/outside-victoryland-398x265.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:27094;s:14:"optimized_size";i:20236;s:7:"percent";d:25.309999999999999;}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}}}
        )

    [_imagify_status] => Array
        (
            [0] => success
        )

)
1674007987 
1453392520

According to VictoryLand owner Milton McGregor, the sprawling Macon County gaming and entertainment complex should reopen this year, almost three years after it closed. The closure followed years of legal battles and a 2013 raid where the state seized more than 1,600 bingo machines and $253,000. But in October, an Alabama Circuit Judge ruled in Victoryland’s favor, paving the wave for its return. For more we turn to Nick Patterson, editor of the weekly newspaper WELD. He tells WBHM’s Rachel Osier Lindley that VictoryLand once held an important place in Macon County’s economy.

Cody Owens,WELD
Victoryland owner Milton McGregor.