PETERSBURG, Va. (WRIC) — The possibility of a casino coming to Petersburg just passed a huge hurdle in the General Assembly.
On Wednesday, April 17, lawmakers approved revised legislation, opening the door for a potential referendum on the November ballot.
After two previous failed attempts, Senator Lashrecese Aird (D-Va.) said if this referendum happens, and it passes it would mean a multi-million dollar investment in the Petersburg area.
“There are a lot of possibilities that exist with any economic development project,” Aird said.
Five proposals are on the table from companies wanting to build the casino. One of them includes The Cordish Companies, which has partnered with NFL Hall of Famer and Virginia native Bruce Smith.
“We as Virginians have been waiting for this opportunity to invest, to build and to own for a lifetime,” Smith said.
The other proposals come from Bally’s, Penn Entertainment, The Warrenton Group and Rush Street Gaming.
Vannay Kirkland with Petersburg Mutual Aid said that while the idea of a casino sounds tempting on paper, the city should prioritize other ventures that are more neighborhood friendly.
“One thing about a scam is that it takes people being greedy and desperate to fall for it,” Kirkland said. “We have no community centers. That’s a thing that we could have built that could bring a lot of entertainment, a lot of community development and could be a real partnership for Petersburg.”
The road to a referendum isn’t over yet. Petersburg City officials must select one of the five companies bidding to build the casino.
Then, the Virginia Lottery will review that proposal and seek final clearance from a circuit court before the casino referendum finally ends up on the ballot for voters in November.
