Milton McGregor Archives • Alabama Political Reporter

We lost some great leaders in 2018

As is my custom at the close of the year, I like to memorialize great Alabamians who have appeared and lived legendary lives upon the stage of political history in the Heart of Dixie. This year we have had some real legends. I have expanded the geographical limits to outside of Alabama to include two … Continued

December 26, 2018

Milton McGregor: The maddest I’ve ever been

The angriest I ever was as an editorial writer while at The Birmingham News was because of Milton McGregor. I wrote opinion for The News for 25 years. Lots of anger opportunities. But my most angry happened early in my career as an editorial writer, when McGregor was trying to get the voters of Jefferson … Continued

March 29, 2018

Funeral arrangements for Milton McGregor set, remembrances pour in

Everyone in Alabama, it seems, has a Milton McGregor story. The casino owner and longtime political kingmaker passed away on Saturday, and since that time news outlets have written and aired countless stories from elected officials and various other politicos about McGregor. A visitation for McGregor will be held Wednesday at noon at Frazer Memorial … Continued

March 27, 2018

Milton McGregor lied to me

One of the first things Milton McGregor ever told me was that he wouldn’t lie to me. That was in March 2014, several months before I wrote an in-depth series on the history of gambling in Alabama and McGregor’s role in it. It was the first of many interviews, and McGregor wanted to set the … Continued

March 26, 2018

Milton McGregor still on the scene

By Steve Flowers Inside the Statehouse As the June primaries for our statewide races get closer, there is a lot of media attention and stories written about the power being wielded by special interests, PACs and big money. They focus on the large amount of cash and influence being bet on the horses for governor and … Continued

March 7, 2018

New billboards carry a “Public Service Message” from Milton McGregor

By Josh Moon Alabama Political Reporter Maybe you’ve seen the billboards. There are 18 of them around Alabama, mostly concentrated in Montgomery and south Alabama. On them, in giant letters, is the word “EXPOSED!” Just underneath are three photos: former Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange, former Gov. Bob Riley and former U.S. attorney Leura Canary. … Continued

December 5, 2017

Alabama’s gambling fight, Part II: Follow the money

By Josh Moon Alabama Political Reporter By early 2009, construction was far enough along on the Country Crossing facility in Dothan that it didn’t take much imagination to see customers flocking to the entertainment venue, spending the night in the George Jones Possum Holler Bed and Breakfast, eating at the Lorrie Morgan Hot Chicken Restaurant. … Continued

January 18, 2017

Experts testify on lottery, VictoryLand and downside of PCI’s tax-free monopoly

By Josh Moon Alabama Political Reporter Governor Robert Bentley’s Gambling Advisory Committee received a crash course on Thursday on the detailed operation of a state lottery and learned the history and tax payments made by the state’s largest non-Indian casino, VictoryLand. Louisiana Lottery president Rose Hudson and New Hampshire Lottery executive director Charlie McIntyre spent … Continued

December 3, 2016

Milton McGregor

Alabama’s gambling problem: Barrels of money and no regulation

Top ten Alabama political stories of the decade: Part 2