Citing an inability to compete against casinos operated by Native Americans, the Southern Star Entertainment Center in White Hall closed its doors on Wednesday.

“We deeply regret it was necessary to lay off our hard working employees,” General Manager Leslie Clark said in a released statement.  “We are simply unable to compete against Native American facilities when we are limited to conducting only paper bingo operations.  We are hopeful that the political environment will change next year and the people of Alabama will be given the opportunity to cast their vote regarding electronic bingo machines.  We are committed to continuing our efforts to bring significant job opportunities to the citizens of this fine community.”

Southern Star Entertainment Center is operated by the White Hall Enrichment Advancement Team (WHEAT), a charitable organization.