A measure sponsored by Senator Sammuel Sanes that would allow casinos to build eight instead of the current maximum of six stories awaits action by U.S. Virgin Islands Governor John deJongh Jr. The bill passed the Senate in an 8-5 vote on December 19. Sanes stated he originally wanted his bill to allow 10 stories.
The measure was not associated with a specific project, Sanes said, but he noted it might advance the languishing Golden Resorts casino project, which would be built near Great Pond Bay area, a critical wetland habitat area. “By moving the stories from six to eight, we can move the building a little bit further away from the pond. The less building the better,” Sanes said. He noted the Casino Control Commission and casino developer Paul Golden and others planning to build on St. Croix “are okay with it.”
Another supporter is Casino Control Commission member Violet Ann Golden ( no relation to Paul Golden), who said the zoning code should allow buildings beyond eight stories. “Puerto Rico has 30. You want a smaller footprint, you have to go up into the sky. You can add more rooms to a resort if we start looking at our airspace in a more efficient manner.” She noted many of the smaller Caribbean islands are looking up, not out, as space is at a premium. The Virgin Islands seems to have the only government that’s “hell bent on keeping our zoning laws so conservative. We have to change with the times,” she said.
Others were less enthusiastic. Senator Clifford Graham pointed out the bill did not go through the usual committee process, allowing senators the chance to ask questions and consider its impact. “It’s not that I’m against raising the height of casinos in the zonings, but I honestly think far-reaching legislation like that should be vetted through the committee. We don’t think of all the components immediately.” For example, Graham said while he supports casino development on St. Croix, he questioned whether the change would block certain views and if the territory’s firefighting equipment could reach the top of an eight-story building.
