Q: A lot of us used to travel to Quincy’s 777 in Shorter, Ala. It has been closed for some time. Do you have any info if it will ever re-open, or when?
—Jim Clemens, Jonesboro
A: Quincy's 777 Casino, the electronic bingo hall at VictoryLand, plans to re-open by the end of the year, Joe Espy, an attorney for owner Milton McGregor, told the Auburn (Ala.) Opelika-News last week. Espy didn't have specifics on when the electronic bingo hall would re-open. Threats of police raids forced VictoryLand to close in August 2010. You can call (334) 727-0540 for more information.
Q: I read in the AJC where MetLife Stadium, the home of the New York Giants and New York Jets, was paid for by private funds. Do you have a breakdown of some of the larger donations that built that stadium? Also, is that the only football stadium that was built with private donations?
—William McKee Jr., Flowery Branch
A: The Giants and Jets contributed to the $1.6 billion cost of MetLife Stadium, which opened in 2010. Those teams received a $300 million loan from the NFL, received free land for the stadium and also receive a discount on property taxes. In 2011, MetLife signed a 25-year naming rights deal worth about $16 million a year to the Giants and Jets. MetLife is one of five NFL stadiums paid for by private funds, often with help from the NFL's loan pool. The others are: Gillette Stadium (Foxborough, Mass.), Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte, N.C.), FedEx Field (Landover, Md.) and Sun Life Stadium (Miami).
Andy Johnston wrote this column. Do you have a question about the news? We’ll try to get the answer. Call 404-222-2002 or email q&a@ajc.com (include name, phone and city).
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