Virginia Senate panel kills Petersburg casino plans
The Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee voted against the Petersburg casino bill.
US.- The Virginia Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee has voted 10-6 against House Bill 1373, proposed by delegate Kim Taylor. The bill would have allowed Petersburg voters decide in November whether to approve a $1.4bn casino resort planned by The Cordish Companies.
While House Bill 1373 had survived a vote the previous day by the Senate General Laws Committee. Senate Bill 780, an identical bill from state senator Joe Morrissey failed to advance out of the same committee.
Richmond City Council president Michael Jones celebrated the decision since it means Richmond will have another chance to convince voters to approve a casino. Last November, residents rejected Urban One´s plan for a $565m casino on the city’s Southside.
Taylor said in a statement: “This is a devastating setback for the people of Petersburg and the democratic process. The people of Petersburg deserve better. They should have the right to determine the economic future of their community independent of Richmond.”
Taylor’s legislation would have allowed Petersburg voters to vote on a proposed $1.4bn casino project from The Cordish Companies. The city had already signed off on the project, which would have featured more than 670,000 square feet of gaming, hotel, dining and entertainment.
There would have been a 200-room hotel with 20 suites, a pool and a fitness centre; over 2,000 slots, electronic table games and 60 live table games including poker; a sportsbook and an event centre for entertainment, meetings and conventions. There were plans for over a dozen dining and entertainment options and free surface parking.
