The Virginia Senate has been discussing the topic for two years. Finally, lawmakers approved the Petersburgh casino referendum. It would be the fifth and final casino in the state. Also, ten Republicans voted for the motion for a final count of 29-10.
Now that Petersburg has won the Senate, its supporters aim to repeat the feat in the House of Delegates.
The matter reached the Senate floor on Friday for the first time. According to bookie PPH experts, the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee had previously killed it. However, a prominent opponent of casinos in Petersburg has changed his mind and is now one of the main sponsors of Senate Bill 628.
Petersburgh Casino Referendum
Among the principal backers were Democratic Senator Louise Lucas and her home district of Portsmouth, one of five Virginia cities to enter the casino industry. Sen. Lashrecse Aird of Petersburg was also a backer. Orange County Republican Bryce Reeves and Arlington Democrat Barbara Favola joined to sponsor the measure.
On this vote, many senators crossed party lines; notably, ten Republicans joined nineteen Democrats in support. According to bookie news reports, Danica Roem of Prince William County and Ghazala Hashmi of Chesterfield County were the only Democrats who did not back it.
The legislation resets the limits, such as poverty and unemployment rates, so economically challenged localities can vote on introducing a casino to their town. Petersburg benefited from those additional restrictions, whereas Richmond was removed. Richmond was the initial host city for the casino, and its people had already rejected a casino referendum twice. They saw risks in a bookie business.
This also means that Richmond residents cannot hold another referendum for the upcoming three years. Any municipality that decides against holding a casino referendum would have to wait three years before having another chance to do so, according to language pulled in from a measure supported by Reeves. A Petersburg official praised Aird for taking the bill farther than ever in the Senate.
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