No surprise: Casino referendum among Petersburg's legislative wishes for 2024 Assembly
PETERSBURG – It's now official. Petersburg is back in the chase for Virginia’s fifth casino.
City Council adopted its legislative wish list Tuesday night, and bringing a gambling resolution to city voters by 2025 is one of six requests on it. The list claims that Petersburg could see results similar to what Danville and Bristol are now experiencing with successful openings of Caesar’s Virginia and Hard Rock casinos, respectively.
“In light of Petersburg's status as a distressed locality, advancing a casino could provide significant economic relief, like the benefits experienced by Danville and Bristol,” the request reads. “This venture could offer residents employment opportunities that surpass the current median household income of roughly $44,000 per year and individual income of about $26,000 per year.”
According to Danville officials, the Caesar's Virginia casino that opened May 15 has generated more than $107.9 million in state gaming revenue and $6.5 million in city tax revenue. The Hard Rock in Bristol has generated $215.7 million in state gaming revenue since its July 2022 opening.
A report from the Joint Legislative Audit Review Commission has put Petersburg's estimated gaming revenue at $204 million annually and local tax revenue at $12.24 million, excluding real estate, machinery and tools, sales, admission, lodging and meals taxes.
The decision was expected and comes two weeks after Richmond voters defeated a second referendum that would have set up a $562 million casino and hotel complex in the city’s southside. Two years ago, a similar referendum was narrowly rejected, prompting the capital city to ask for a do-over. That do-over created friction between Petersburg and Richmond that carried through two legislative sessions and several political battles that ultimately led to Petersburg being shut out of the chase.
On Nov. 7, 61% of Richmond’s voters killed the city’s casino dreams, opening the door for Petersburg to come through. Richmond city administration seemed to resolve itself with the outcome, with Mayor Levar Stoney saying it was time to move on to other initiatives.
More: Petersburg withholds reaction to second defeat of Richmond casino referendum
In addition to the request for the referendum, Petersburg also wants the General Assembly to eliminate poverty- and tax exemption-based requirements for an eligible host city with a population of more than 200,000. Such a move would eliminate Richmond from future casino consideration.
Following the meeting, Petersburg spokesperson Joanne Williams released a statement saying that a casino complex “will provide a much-needed economic boost to Petersburg’s flat tax base.”
Mayor Sam Parham, the city’s biggest co-cheerleader for Petersburg’s casino venture, was not made available for comment after the council meeting. Williams said the statement would be all the city would be saying publicly on the issue for now.
Legislation that passed in 2019 called for casino referendums in Bristol, Danville, Norfolk, Portsmouth and Richmond. Richmond was the only city among the original five to defeat the measure both times it came up.
In addition to Caesar's Virginia in Danville and Hard Rock in Bristol, Rivers Casino in Portsmouth also is up and running. Norfolk's planned casino will be a partnership with one of Virginia's Native American tribes.
The casino is one of several items on Petersburg’s wish list for the 2024 legislative session that begins Jan. 10. Also on that list are:
an additional $17 million to continue improvements to the Poor Creek wastewater station that would increase service to south Petersburg and its surging pharmaceutical industry;
$15 million to pay for the completion of the Appomattox River Trail that will run from Dinwiddie County to Hopewell, and intersect with the proposed Fall Line Trail that will run from Ashland to Petersburg;
$3.5 million to replace the Oakhill Bridge that links South Crater Road with the Battlefield Park neighborhood;
a request to increase so-called “599” funding by 40% for police departments across Virginia, including Petersburg, that experience high crime and high poverty rates; and
a renewed push for Richard Bland College to gain independent status from The College of William & Mary.
The latter request addresses failed efforts in the 2023 session to make RBC a separate two-year college. Supporters say the college already acts independently from its parent W&M, which has blessed the request.
Sen.-elect Lashrecse Aird, D-Petersburg, is expected to shepherd the agenda through the state Senate. The House push would be spearheaded by the winner of the 82nd House District race that is headed for a recount next month.
Bill Atkinson (he/him/his) is an award-winning journalist who covers breaking news, government and politics. Reach him at batkinson@progress-index.com or on X (formerly known as Twitter) at @BAtkinson_PI.
This article originally appeared on The Progress-Index: Petersburg wants in again on casino referendum
