Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin recently signed SB 628, allowing Petersburg to replace Richmond as a casino host city, if approved by voters.
The General Assembly passed the bill, sponsored by state Senator Lashrecse Aird, in an 80-19 vote. The bill included an amendment removing a clause that would have required a second vote in the General Assembly. The Senate previously passed the amended bill 32-8.
Aird said in a statement, “After two previous failed attempts, in my first Senate session, the General Assembly has officially given its support to allow the citizens of Petersburg to have a referendum vote on a casino. I made a promise to give my community this opportunity, and today I delivered on that promise. While voters will have the final say on whether a casino becomes a reality, this legislation has the potential for multimillion-dollar economic investment to be made in a community that both needs and truly deserves it.”
Aird hosted a town hall meeting where the contenders for the Petersburg gaming license presented their casino resort plans. The included Bally’s, Penn Entertainment, Rush Street Gaming and the Warrenton Group and the Cordish Companies.
However, recently the city of Petersburg announced it unanimously selected Bruce Smith Enterprise and Cordish to co-develop the $1.4 billion mixed-used development in the city. Two independent consultants who reviewed the Request for Proposals submitted by the five casino operators determined Cordish offered the best casino plan.
The Petersburg City Council, Virginia Lottery Board and Petersburg Circuit Court still must also approve adding the referendum to the 2024 local ballot.
Commercial casinos were legalized in Virginia in 2020, to be built in five economically challenged cities: Bristol, Danville, Norfolk, Portsmouth and Richmond. Referendums passed in all but Richmond, where voters rejected casino gambling in 2021 and 2023.
