Nearly six months after shifting away from electronic bingo, Greenetrack in Eutaw has closed its doors. In July, Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall stated that Greenetrack owed taxes on the money generated from its illegal casino-style operations, amounting to over $76 million.
At the time, CEO Luther Winn Jr. had assured there were no plans for employee layoffs, and they were committed to keeping the facility operational.
However, the current status of Greenetrack’s debt obligation remains unclear, as there have been no new bankruptcy filings for the facility as of Wednesday afternoon.
Eutaw Mayor Latasha Johnson expressed her frustration at the lack of communication regarding both the closure and the tax situation. She believes that in a small town like Eutaw, better communication should have been maintained.
She stated, “We weren’t aware, no municipality was aware, I wasn’t aware, and from my understanding, some of the county commissioners weren’t aware that Greenetrack was closing. It was only fair that we were informed of their decision to close.
Johnson emphasized the importance of Greenetrack to the local community, including the school system and healthcare facilities, and lamented the potential impact of its closure.
The closure took many residents of Eutaw by surprise, leaving employees worried about their future. One employee expressed concern about her financial stability, while another, who had worked at Greenetrack for 39 years, expressed a willingness to return if the facility were to reopen.
Henry Horton Jr., whose daughter had worked there recently, sympathized with those facing unemployment, saying, “That’s a sad case, not knowing how you’re going to pay your bills and not knowing what tomorrow’s going to bring.
Mayor Johnson shared her concern for the affected employees, hoping they wouldn’t have to leave the community to secure employment elsewhere.
Beyond the loss of jobs, the closure of Greenetrack could have far-reaching consequences for the entire city.
Mayor Johnson couldn’t provide exact figures on the contributions Greenetrack made to schools and hospitals but stressed that it would undoubtedly have a significant impact, as many people relied on those funds to support essential services in the community.
