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Only recently did the Virginia Lottery Board approve a Petersburg casino. Petersburg Circuit Court Judge Dennis Martin then approved a referendum for residents to vote on the casino in November.
In a swift vote, the city council unanimously approved the referendum, according to The Progress-Index, which recorded a 7-0 vote. Vice Mayor Darrin Hill, whose district (Ward 2) would be the location for the Live! Casino & Hotel Virginia, proposed approval of the measure.
Councilor Arnold Westbrook Jr. from Ward 7 seconded the motion. It took just two and a half minutes for the council to decide.
The proposal then moved to the circuit court, which also approved it in just two hours on July 15. With both approvals secured, the referendum will be on the local ballot in November. As The Progress-Index cited, the petition for referendum order read:
“It is, therefore, ADJUDGED, ORDERED, AND DECREED that, pursuant to Virginia Code §§ 24.2-682 and 24.2-684, a referendum on the question of whether casino gaming shall be ‘permitted within the City of Petersburg shall be held during the City’s general election on November 5, 2024.”
Key takeaways
- Petersburg voters will decide in November whether to permit casino gaming in the city, following approvals from the Virginia Lottery Board and Petersburg Circuit Court.
- The referendum was unanimously approved with a 7-0 vote.
- If the referendum passes, developers plan to open a temporary casino by the end of 2025, which will be part of a larger permanent complex.
- Virginia offers online sports betting and retail casino numbers are growing. PlayUSA anticipates Virginia online casinos could be a possibility in the future.
Referendum leaves Petersburg voters to decide on casino
The referendum states:
“Shall casino gaming be permitted at a casino gaming establishment in Petersburg, Virginia, located on an approximate 92.5-acre development site located off Interstate 95 at Wagner Road along Brassfield Parkway in the City of Petersburg as may be approved by the Virginia Lottery Board?”
On the ballot in November, Petersburg voters will face a simple yes-or-no question about the casino project. The project will only move forward if a majority of voters check “yes.”
Petersburg is taking Richmond’s place as a potential casino location in Virginia. Richmond residents voted down casino proposals twice, leading the state legislature to remove them from the list of approved sites in February.
Unlike Richmond, voters in the other four designated cities (Bristol, Danville, Norfolk, and Portsmouth) all greenlit casino projects, which are now underway.
VA casino project to cost nearly $600 million
A $597 million entertainment complex is planned for southern Petersburg, Virginia.
The Cordish Companies (Maryland casino developers) and Bruce Smith Enterprise (Virginia-based) are behind the project. This includes a casino, hotel, and other entertainment options on a 92-acre site near Wagner Road.
If voters approve the referendum in November, the developers will build a temporary casino on the site, to open by the end of 2025. This temporary venue will eventually become part of the larger permanent complex.
The developers have long-term plans. Following the initial opening, they project an additional $803 million investment over the next 15 years to expand the resort. This expansion would encompass residential units, office space, another hotel and retail stores.
