By By Lisa Tindell
news editor
The Escambia County Commission and council members of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians have come to a financial agreement concerning the operation of the Creek Entertainment Center near Atmore.
PCI council chairman Buford Rolin represented the tribe during Monday’s meeting of the commission when the new agreement was approved and signed.
Commission chairman David Stokes said reaching the agreement with PCI was a pleasant experience.
County Commissioner Todd Williamson said the agreement should be beneficial for both parties.
In an earlier proposed agreement, Escambia County had requested PCI pay the county more than $4 million during the next eight years.
Rolin said the tribe could never abide by such an agreement stating the commission was comparing the operations at Poarch to similar operations in Hollywood, Fla.
In the new agreement, signed by both groups on Monday, PCI will pay $300,000 over a 36-month period to the county to help defray costs for law enforcement and infrastructure as a result of the new gaming facility currently under construction.
In the approved agreement, PCI has agreed to make the annual contributions to the county to defray the cost of any impacts of the existing facility and the costs and expenses of lessening the impacts that the county may incur as a result of PCI’s development and operation of the facility. The funds will also assist with the cost of any services that the county may provide to PCI in respect of the facility.
The agreement also states after the 36-month period or the one-year anniversary of the opening of the facility, the county and PCI have agreed to analyze the impacts the facility has had on the county’s operating budget with consideration to law enforcement services and road and bridge infrastructure.
The commission on Monday also amended and passed a resolution to abandon County Road 14, which is adjacent to property currently occupied by PCI’s Creek Entertainment Center just off U.S. 21 near Atmore.
In the abandonment resolution, the commission agreed to vacate a portion of County Road 14 upon the completion of a road to be built by PCI to specifications that meet the construction of county roads policy.
PCI has agreed to construct and maintain the new roadway at the expense of the tribe. The agreement states PCI will be responsible for the upkeep, maintenance, repair, striping, resurfacing, reconstruction and landscaping involved in changing County Road 14.
Upon completion of all phases of development planned by PCI, the casino and resort facility will contain a 17-story, 236-room hotel with restaurants and a golf course.