The Danville, Virginia city council unanimously approved a resolution supporting legislation that would allow a casino there and in Bristol and Portsmouth, where the city councils previously approved similar resolutions. If approved by the legislature, referendums would be held in the three cities to let voters decide it they want casinos there.
The Danville casino would generate more than $1 billion in economic impact over the next decade, forecasts indicated, and create about 7,000 jobs. Councilman Gary Miller noted the state spent hundreds of millions of dollars in incentives to attract Amazon, which will create 5,500 jobs in Northern Virginia. “This is Danville’s Amazon, at much less cost.” Councilman James Buckner added, “This is a no-brainer. If we don’t allow our citizens this opportunity, it is a great injustice to our citizens.”
State Senator Bill Carrico and state Del. Israel O’Quinn are expected to introduce casino legislation in the next few weeks. They said their measures are narrowly defined to specify Danville, Bristol and Portsmouth as the casino locations, since they are economically struggling and located near the state line.
Bristol City Manager Randall Eads said he believes the support of Danville’s city council improves the chances of Carrico’s and O’Quinn’s legislation passing. “I think it’s a positive because it’s letting folks in Richmond know we want to be in control of our own destiny. We have to do something different in these economically distressed areas of Virginia because what we’ve been doing in the past is not working. Right now we are seeing an exodus of people leaving, not just Bristol, but Southwest Virginia as a whole because there’s nothing to go back to. This is one thing that can really drive a region’s economy,” Eads said. He added, “When you’re having that story come from three localities across Virginia, I think that’s just more powerful on the legislators and it’s something that they have to listen to.”
In Bristol, the $250 million Bristol Resort and Casino has been proposed for the former Bristol Mall property. The developers are mall owner Clyde Stacy and Jim McGlothlin, chief executive officer of the United Company. The complex would include a convention center, restaurants, performance area and high-end stores. “We’re just a totally different city when this happens. And a different region,” McGlothlin said.
Carrico stated, “When I met with the investors, my first initial answer was I don’t want anything to do with it.” But he decided to lend legislative support when he realized the casino could provide an economic stimulus for the area. A recent study by Chmura Economics & Analytics said the Bristol resort could generate $900 million in annual revenue by 2027 and provide 5,200 jobs. “People may say, ‘Well, Carrico is carrying a gambling bill.’ Technically, I am carrying a referendum bill for Bristol to decide that.”
Not all Bristol residents are thrilled with the idea of a casino. Opponents have posted yard signs around the city that say “Don’t gamble with Bristol’s future.” But casino supporters have put up their own signs that say, “We’re betting on Bristol.”
Meanwhile, the Tri-Cities Airport Authority voted 10-1, with one board member absent, to take a neutral position on whether the proposed Bristol Resort and Casino would economically benefit the airport. Board Chairman Jon Smith said, “We as an airport are committed to all constituencies and we want to support them as much as we can. We want to support any economic development activities that we can, but we do not want to get involved in issues that could conceivably become political.”
Bristol Chamber of Commerce President and Chief Executive Officer Beth Rhinehart had requested that Tri-Cities Airport Deputy Executive Director David Jones ask the board to publicly state that the airport would be “a net beneficiary” of the proposed resort and casino. Following the board’s decision to remain neutral, Rhinehart said she was disappointed. She said the chamber’s intent wasn’t for the board to take a stance on potential legislation, but to state that it would be benefit the airport economically due to a possible increase in flights and visitors to the region.
Rhinehart added that a statement from the board about the casino’s “potential impact” on the airport “could be very powerful” in urging the legislature to pass a measure that would allow the casino. She cited the Chmura study’s estimate that the casino resort would attract 4 million out-of-state visitors to the region annually, significantly increase tourism directly and indirectly, bring in significant new revenue for the city and surrounding jurisdictions and increase commercial, charter and private flights at the airport.
