In a decisive move following Richmond voters’ rejection of a casino proposal for the second time, Virginia lawmakers have unanimously voted to permanently remove the city from consideration as a potential casino site.

Richmond’s Removal from Casino Eligibility Sealed by 100-0 House Vote

The Virginia General Assembly, in a bipartisan effort, passed bills aimed at eliminating Richmond from the list of eligible host cities for a casino, reported 8News WRIC. The legislative action saw overwhelming support, with the House of Delegates voting 100-0 and the state Senate following suit with a 40-0 vote in favor of advancing the legislation.

The proposed bills, championed by lawmakers representing Richmond, including Del. Betsy Carr and state Sen. Lamont Bagby, signify a response to the clear stance expressed by the people of Richmond through their rejection of the casino proposal.

Sen. Bagby emphasized the importance of representing the will of the citizens, stating that he was voted in by the people of the city of Richmond and that they had expressed their disapproval twice.

The legislative move seeks to amend the state code, which previously listed cities like Portsmouth, Norfolk, Danville, and Bristol as eligible casino locations but had criteria that could potentially include Richmond.

The Proposed Legislation Follows Two Referendum Rejections

If signed into law by Gov. Glenn Youngkin, the bills will effectively remove Richmond from consideration by eliminating language that previously made the city eligible. Criteria such as population size, property tax exemptions, and poverty rates would no longer apply to Richmond.

According to estimates from the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service of the University of Virginia, Richmond’s population exceeded 230,000 in 2018, surpassing the threshold for eligibility. 

Additionally, more than a quarter of the assessed value of real estate in the city was exempt from property taxes in fiscal year 2018.

The decision comes after Richmond faced disappointment in its casino endeavors, with voters rejecting the proposal by a significant margin in both 2021 and November 2023 referendums.

Meanwhile, the legislative process continues to unfold, with discussions around Petersburg’s eligibility for a casino still ongoing. Plans for a casino referendum in Fairfax County have been postponed until 2025. While there has been no immediate response from Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney‘s spokesperson regarding the legislative development, the ongoing 2024 General Assembly session is scheduled to conclude on March 9.

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Richmond voters dealt a blow to the proposed $562 million Richmond Grand Resort and Casino, rejecting the project for the second time in three years. In 2021, Richmond voters were presented with the decision to support or reject a casino project, with 51% opposing and 49% favoring it. 

Child Care Advocates Express Disappointment as Richmond Rejects Casino Funding

One of the significant promises tied to the casino project was the allocation of funds for childcare programs, with an initial upfront payment of $26.5 million and an annual commitment of $19 million in casino revenue earmarked for the city. The rejection of the casino plan has now raised questions about the future of childcare funding in Richmond.

Child care advocates, including Ann Payes, CEO of the early childhood school readiness group Thrive Birth to Five, expressed disappointment over the failed casino project, reported The Richmond Times Dispatch. Payes highlighted that the annual $19 million could have significantly supported early childhood education programs, addressing issues such as lengthy wait times for child care and reducing financial burdens on families.

Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney, who invested considerable political capital in supporting the casino effort, emphasized the potential benefits during a September news conference. Stoney proposed using the casino revenue to build childcare and education centers, fund parks and recreation projects, and establish a trust fund to expand childcare access to low- to middle-class families.

Mayor Stoney Grapples with Childcare Funding Void After Casino Rejection

With the rejection of the casino, Stoney acknowledged that the plans for addressing the childcare shortage were no longer viable. The proposed $26.5 million upfront for child care centers and the annual commitment of $19 million to the Richmond Child Care and Education Trust Fund are now off the table.

Stoney’s office indicated that without the casino funding, alternative measures would need to be explored to address the childcare crisis. However, there are currently no plans to seek a tax increase for childcare funding, according to Stoney’s spokesman Gianni Snidle.

The rejection of the casino has left childcare advocates and officials exploring other avenues for funding. Organizations like Thrive Birth to Five are turning to state and federal governments for increased funding. Payes emphasized a commitment to making early childhood care happen, even if at a slower pace. The Richmond Public School system is also applying for Head Start and Early Head Start grants to increase the number of available childcare slots.

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Residents of Richmond, Virginia, once again voted against a proposed project that called for the development of a casino. The proposed $562 million project sought the development of Richmond Grand Resort and Casino, a new casino that would’ve been constructed just off Interstate 95. Supporters of the project said that it would bring economic stimulus, boost tourism and local businesses. However, opponents disagreed with the positive aspect of a casino in Richmond, warning it would bring financial hardships and crime.

Back in 2021, Richmond voters once again were asked to vote in favor or against a casino project. At the time, some 51% of the residents voted against the project with 49% supporting it. Now, the margin is even higher, as suggested by a report released by NBC12, revealing that some 61% of the Richmonders voted against the casino project based on data from the Virginia Board of Elections.

The referendum results come after an intense competition between supporters and opponents of the casino project in Richmond. Late last month, No Means No Casino, an anti-casino group founded by Paul Goldman, won a legal fight against the state over voter registration lists. The US District Court for the Eastern District Court of Virginia ruled in favor of Goldman, asking the Virginia Board of Elections to provide him access to the lists, something that is not uncommon for political candidates and committees.

This enabled No Means No Casino to continue its fight against the casino project, despite fears about the significant funding of the opposite side. Judging by the recent results, despite the spending in support of the casino project, residents of Richmond have once again stopped the project from lifting off.

Richmond Grand Resort Thanks Residents Who Supported the Project

After the referendum results were released, Levar Stoney, Richmond’s Mayor, released a statement explaining: “I will continue to be a voice for communities that have been historically overlooked and underserved.” The Mayor said that he remains dedicated to bringing good paying jobs, affordable child care and career opportunities for all residents of the city.

“We are grateful to the thousands of Richmonders who voted for good jobs and a stronger city, especially those in southside who poured their hearts into this project,“

reads a statement released by Richmond Grand Resort and Casino

Richmond Grand Resort said in a statement that it was proud to engage in a campaign that sought to develop new opportunities for the city’s residents. The group that supported the expansion of casino gambling thanked all the Richmonders who voted in favor of the project that was expected to revitalize the city, delivering new jobs and economic stimulus.

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An anti-casino group in Virginia can now focus its campaign efforts ahead of the November ballot after a judge’s decision related to voter registration lists. Paul Goldman is known as the founder of the No Means No Casino group in the state. He is also an experienced political analyst who rejects a proposal for a $562 million casino project. The proposed Richmond Grand Resort is planned to be constructed in South Richmond just off Interstate 95 at 2001 Walmsley Blvd and 4700 Trenton Ave.

Opposing the project, Goldman asked for voter registration lists from the Virginia Board of Elections. Once he was denied access to the lists, which are usually provided to committees as well as political candidates, he filed a lawsuit in Richmond city court. The aforementioned lawsuit ended in the US District Court for the Eastern District Court of Virginia where Goldman saw a major breakthrough last week.

On Friday, a judge sided with Goldman, ordering the Board of Elections to immediately provide him with access to the voter registration lists. The decision announced by Federal US District Court Judge Hannah Lauck effectively cleared the path for Goldman, enabling him to access the voter registration lists, something that he has been actively trying to do since August.

“For the reasons stated from the bench, the Court ORDERS immediate release of the lists of persons who voted under Virginia code … for the Election years 2021, 2022 and beyond to Plaintiff. The Defendants are to note on the record when Plaintiff will receive the lists,“

reads the US District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia’s decision from Friday

Refused Access to Voter Registration Lists Impacted Goldman’s Campaign

In an interview for the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Goldman spoke about the impact of the delay in accessing the voter registration lists. “For two months, the Attorney General’s Office has, in effect, hurt my chances of defeating the referendum by a policy they now admit can’t be legally, politically or in any way justified under the First Amendment,” he explained. Additionally, Goldman said that instead of engaging in campaigning, he had to spend money on legal fees and “do $100,000 worth of work.”

The court’s decision comes ahead of the ballot planned for November 7, 2023. On the ballot, Virginia residents will be able to vote for or against the proposed casino project. The upcoming ballot isn’t the first time Virginians have been asked about the Richmond casino project. Two years ago, the voting came close, nearly allowing the casino project to lift off. At the time, 51% of the voters voted against it, while 49% showed support for the project.

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Legislative efforts in Virginia to revive ONE Casino + Resort in Richmond face a significant hurdle in the name of Virginia State Sen. Joe Morrissey who is adamant that he would do what it takes to block the initiative from being put on this year’s referendum.

Sen. Morrissey Threatens to Derail the Casino

The ONE Casino + Resort, a casino project dating back to 2021 when the state approved five cities, Richmond, Danville, Bristol, Norfolk and Portsmouth, to build casinos is the only one which failed to materialize to date.

The measure was rejected during the 2021 referendum after 51% of the voters decided against it in 2021, while in 2022, Sen. Morrissey introduced a state budget amendment to block the casino, saying that the casino should be built in Petersburg instead.  A casino measure in Petersburg also failed to pass.

Morrissey is threatening to block the project again and quash hopes after this week’s Richmond City Council vote that it would be back on the ballot this fall, determined to prevent Richmond from building a casino.

“I will do what I can to make sure there’s budget language that prohibits Richmond from getting a casino,” Morrissey commented for NBC12 Richmond, explaining how disappointed he feels that the city “keeps going back, trying to get a referendum.”

It reminds me of the movie Groundhog Day. We hear it over and over again.

Sen. Joe Morrissey

And while Morrissey is fighting to legally block the casino, he is not the only opposition to the project, joined by Allan-Charles Chipman from Initiatives of Change USA, who believes the issue about the casino “is really about how Richmond feels about respecting democratic processes or not,” also saying that the Richmond casino project is still the same.

Casino Project Still the Same

The $562.5 million ONE Casino + Resort project involves building a 250-room hotel, a 3,000-seat entertainment venue, and restaurants, as well as a casino and will be jointly operated by Churchill Downs Incorporated (CDI) and Urban One via their joint venture, RVA Entertainment Holdings.

The casino property is estimated to generate $29.7 million yearly. If the measure goes to the November vote and is approved by the voters, the agreement with Richmond City Council stipulates that the developer pays $25.5 million to the city.

City of Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney believes that the measure has the potential to pass the referendum this time, looking forward to the November vote filled with optimism.

“I feel really good,” Mayor Stoney commented. “I feel really optimistic about what November may hold,” he added.

If Morrissey’s attempts to block the measure fail, it would still have to be approved by both the Virginia Lottery and Richmond Circuit Court before it is put on the November ballot.

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Richmond City Council members seek to revive an old casino project that failed to gain the public’s support in 2021. The measure would see the people of the Virginian city vote on the matter once again.

The so-called One Casino + Resort is a project first introduced in 2021, two years after Virginia agreed to allow five cities facing economic challenges to open casinos. Since Virginia greenlit casinos, four cities, namely Bristol, Danville, Norfolk and Portsmouth opened casinos. Some people in Richmond hope that their city will secure the fifth slot.

The One Casino + Resort is a project for a gambling property that would be jointly operated by Churchill Downs and Urban One, working together as RVA Entertainment Holdings. The two operators plan to construct a $562.5 million casino property in the Virginian city, bringing gaming to local customers.

However, the project failed to secure the necessary approval in 2021 and was shelved until now. Back then, the voters rejected the property by a margin of 1,200 votes.

Richmond City Hopes That Its Second Attempt Will Be Successful

This Monday, Richmond City Council members agreed to implement a host community agreement between the city and RVA Entertainment Holdings. As a result, the council is now looking to bring a second casino referendum.

The fate of the One Casino + Resort in Richmond is expected to be decided in November when the public will be asked to vote on the plans. Under its agreement with the Richmond council, the developer will pay $25.5 million to the city if the referendum passes.

Richmond’s second effort to secure approval for the One Casino + Resort comes after a failed attempt to establish a casino in Petersburg. The latter city tried to secure approval for a gambling venue right after the first Richmond City vote failed. Petersburg’s plan was to welcome the Cordish Companies, allowing them to develop a casino project. However, the Petersburg legislation also failed to pass.

As a result, Richmond City hopes that its second attempt to secure approval for its casino will pass, allowing it to capitalize on the opportunities offered by the gambling industry. City Councilor Reva Trammell emphasized that the city has the right to have another go at it.

The overall proposal is almost the same as the one from 2021. However, some people are still opposed to the idea, believing that a casino would amplify the social and economic divide in the city.

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