A bill introduced in the Maryland Senate would establish a casino in the waters of the Potomac River just off the shores of Colonial Beach, Virginia.
The casino would be located in a portion of the river that is designated as Maryland territory, with a portion of revenues dedicated to fund a new bridge to alleviate congestion on the Governor Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge, which spans the Potomac between Maryland and Virginia on U.S. Route 301.
Officials of Charles County, on the Maryland side of the bridge, spoke in favor of the bill, SB 907, in testimony at a hearing before the state Senate Finance Committee. “The current bridge was built in 1940, so it’s 75 years old,” testified Charles County Commissioner Ken Robinson. “Even after it was built, it was experiencing five times the traffic that was projected for it. That traffic has just increased in the 75 years since.”
Robinson noted that while Virginia currently has no casinos, the resort town of Colonial Beach is no stranger to gambling. “Back in the old days, Colonial Beach was a hotbed of gambling,” he testified. “What we’re hoping to do is to establish a legalized gambling location in Maryland waters.”
Asked about anticipated backlash to the proposal, Robinson said, “Gambling is legal in Maryland. I’m sure there will be opposition from the gambling interests in the state. The thing in our favor is, this is a little bit off the beaten trail. It’s far removed from the other locations in the state. I think we’ve got a fair shot of moving forward.”
