The Virginia House of Delegates recently passed Petersburg’s casino bill. It will qualify Petersburg to host a casino resort while restricting Richmond from holding another gaming ballot before Petersburg kicks off a gaming initiative.
The Cordish Companies wants to develop a $1.4 billion gaming resort at Wagner Road and west of I-95. The city’s casino bill won the delegates’ support but has a slim chance of passing in the Senate.
Delegate Kimberly Taylor (R-Dinwiddie) introduced House Bill 1373, which permits Petersburg to allow residents to vote on allowing a casino in the region to promote economic growth. State lawmakers allowed five cities to host casinos in 2020, including Bristol, Danville, Portsmouth, Norfolk, and Richmond.
The 2020 regulation needed the qualifying cities to start a transparent bidding process to select the best casino plan. Then local voters would have to support each project. Even so, Richmond voters opposed the gaming proposal.
Senator Joe Morrissey (D-Richmond) and Taylor intend to shift Richmond’s opposed casino site to 20 miles south. Petersburg officials are optimistic that they will allow residents to vote on the casino.
The Senate committee killed the Petersburg casino bill last week. Yet, Taylor’s other legislation got the lower chamber’s support.
The House passed HB 1373 on Tuesday in a 49-44 ballot that occurred on the 2023 session’s final day. It will be presented to the Senate soon.
Its Slim Chances at the Senate
Richmond officials want to hold another gaming ballot this fall. Churchill Downs and Urban One want to build a $565 million gaming venue called One Casino + Resort south of Richmond adjacent to the Philip Morris Tobacco plant.
The city held another casino referendum in 2021, but it lost by 51-49 percent. Richmond’s residents’ will has to be respected, and Virginia should host its fifth casino in another region.
The leader won other lawmakers’ support in 2022 to add a budget provision that prevented Richmond from organizing another gaming vote before November 2023. They allowed the state’s Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) to assess the viability of Petersburg and Richmond having casinos.
The commission stated that the two cities would earn revenue from casinos. Also, it discovered that lawmakers need to create a legislative plan which will benefit Richmond and Petersburg. This is a major reason why the Senate might not be enthusiastic about the casino bill.
Still, it could have influenced the Senate Finance & Appropriations Committee to oppose Morrissey’s bill. Delegate Mark Sickles (D-Fairfax) said that lawmakers need to serve the two cities according to JLARC’s recommendation. He supported HB 1373 and stated that it has slim chances of passing the Senate.
Cordish Companies Faces Criticism
Taylor said in the House that backing her bill isn’t an indication that the lawmakers support a Petersburg casino. She added that those who vote for her proposal will support democracy, thus allowing Petersburg players to express their opinions.
Some people accuse Petersburg of being unfair when it chose the Cordish Companies as its casino developer. Del. Pauk Krizek (D-Fairfax) and other lawmakers have criticized Cordish Companies.
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