Tuskegee Mayor Vows Federal Suit Against AG Luther Strange
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Tuskegee Reportory Theater hasn’t put on a production in almost a year because it depends on donations and revenue from places like Victoryland.
The casino is required to donate a certain amount of its profits to charities each year.
“We’re not able to function on the level, right now we’re not able to function at all as far as producing plays because we didn’t have money. We’re spending our whole time trying to find other resources,” said Dyann Robinson.
Robinson is the artistic director of the theater. She says the theater is an important part of the community.
“The quality of life in a town is as important as anything else. People don’t want to live in a town where there’s not good education, not any kind of artistic exposure or opportunity. So when you kill that you kill the town too,” said Robinson.
Victoryland was a major employer for Macon County until it was raided twice by state law enforcement and ultimately shut down in 2013.
After the circuit judge’s decision to toss out the state’s case against the casino, citing that the state cherry picked which casino’s to allow, Attorney General Luther Strange is appealing the decision.
The judge’s decision cites equal protection under federal law. So Mayor Ford and others are going to federal court to keep up the fight.
“We want that industry reopened. So if Luther Strange is going to appeal and he has appealed, we know Mr. McGregor and his lawyers will fight that. But in the mean time we have to fight our own battles. This is bigger than Milton McGregor, this is even bigger than Victoryland,” said Tuskegee Mayor Johnny Ford.
