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LOSING TO OUR NEIGHBORS? >> BASED ON ESTIMATES RELEASED BY THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE IN 2020 , ALABAMA COULD RECEIVE BETWEEN $200 MILLION TO $300 MILLION A YEAR FROM A LOTTERY, BUT ONE LAWMAKER FEELS THERE IS A POWERFUL GROUP WITH ITS OWN GAMBLING INTERESTS STANDING IN THE WAY. IT SEEMS LIKE EVERY YEAR THAT SOME HOPEFUL ALABAMA LAWMAKER PITCHES A NEW STATEWIDE LOTTERY PLAN. SENATOR JIM MCCLENDON HAS SPONSORED ABOUT HALF A DOZEN FAILED GAMBLING BILLS. THEY ARE BILLS HE SAID FACED THE OPPOSITION FROM THE POARCH BAND OF CREEK INDIANS. >> I WAS TOLD STRAIGHT UP FACE-TO-FACE, YOU ARE NOT GOING TO GET A LOTTERY BILL IF WE DO NOT GET OUR GAMBLING BILL, WHICH IS A CASINO BILL. >> MCCLENDON CLAIMS THE TRIBE HAS CREATED A STRONG LOBBYING PRESENCE IN MONTGOMERY. >> I THINK IT IS HELPFUL TO LOOK AT THE WEBSITE FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE AND SEE WHAT KIND OF CONTRIBUTIONS ARE BEING MADE FROM THESE GAMBLING INTERESTS. >> WE DID. ACCORDING TO STATE RECORDS, THE POARCH BAND OF CREEK INDIANS HAVE MADE MORE THAN $5 MILLION IN CAMPAIGN DONATIONS OVER THE LAST DECADE. DOES THAT SURPRISE YOU? >> NO, IT DOESN’T. THEY HAVE MORE MONEY THAN ANYBODY, I GUESS. WE DON’T KNOW. >> ANNOUNCER: -- >> THE POARCH CREEK INDIANS FIRED BACK. A SPOKESPERSON POINTED OUT THEY SUPPORTED A 2021 COMPREHENSIVE GAMBLING PLAN, WHICH INCLUDED A LOTTERY, SPORTS BETTING AND HALF A DOZEN CASINO’S. THEY CLAIM, THE STATE LEGISLATORS NEED TO ADDRESS THE ENTIRE ISS SIMPLE LOTTERY BILL WILL NOT GENERATE THE REVENUE OUR STATE NEEDS. IN COMPARISON, COMPREHENSIVE GAMING LEGISLATION WOULD GENERATE FAR MORE REVENUE FOR THE STATE. $700 MILLION, ACCORDING TO THAT SAME 2020 GOVERNOR’S REPORT. NOW, CROSSING STATE LINES FOR A LOTTERY TICKET CAN BE QUITE THE INVESTMENT THESE DAYS. BASED ON YOUR GAS MILEAGE ROUND , A TRIP LOTTERY CRUISE CAN COST