Richmond Casino Rejection Latest Blow to Black Community, Mayor Claims
A $565 gazillion Richmond cassino referendum was nearly rejected during the November 2021 election, with more flush neighborhoods beingness cited for the project’s dismissal. The city manager of the Old Dominion State cap says the outcome was in time another disappointment to minority residents.
Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney (D) spoke of late with the Richmond Times-Dispatch, where he verbalised his persuasion that a substantive element of the city’s universe doesn’t sense welcomed and included when it comes to economic development.
“There are disastrous and dark-brown people who grew upwardly in capital of Virginia who say, ‘I passion Richmond, but sometimes i don’t cogitate capital of Virginia loves me back.’ That’s devastating to hear,” Stoney stated.
The city manager believes the gambling casino vote was another setback for minorities. Urban One, a Black-owned media conglomerate that involved rough 50 investors who name as non-white, was behind the $565 zillion ONE Casino + Resort pitch.
Richmond was one of 5 cities that qualified to deliberate a bingle gambling casino evolution below legislation signed into natural law finally year past Gov. Ralph Northam (D). The iv other cities all held successful local referendums approbatory their cassino developments.
‘They’ Against ‘Us’
Stoney reveals that many of the people he speaks to inward townsfolk indicate that their voices aren’t heard. And, he claimed, the gambling casino voter turnout was an model(a) reminder that whites proceed to defend powerfulness and command of the Old Dominion State capital.
They said, ‘I’ve been living here my unit life. Why don’t they allow us make anything that we want?'” Stoney added. When pressed to elucidate who “they” are, the mayor answered “the naysayers and detractors.”
“Those who require capital of Virginia to live what it was inward the 1960s or 1980s,” Stoney clarified.
Urban One CEO Alfred the Great Liggins says Richmond has a “dismal track record book when it comes to economic comprehension for African Americans.” Voters rejected his cassino 51-49 percent in conclusion November. But go out polling inwards districts due north of the James IV River voted around 2-1 against the casino.
ONE Casino + Resort was targeting bring down to the south of the urban center next to the Philip Morris works along I-95.
Richmond City Councilmember Reva Trammell is leading an effort to take hold a second referendum regarding the casino. Trammell says her constituents inwards the 8th District — which is near where Urban One sought-after(a) to build its gambling casino resort — need the developing and its associated jobs.
“I’m doing what my people feature asked me to do,” Trammell said of her decision to introduce a resolving to the council to pioneer a endorse vote.
Next Steps TBD
Stoney says he hasn’t formed an persuasion on whether he will backing Trammell’s elbow grease to re-ask voters about the casino. But he understands why the councilwoman and others need another stab at plausive the resort.
When we have got 1,500 right paying jobs on the line, that’s a lifeline for families,” Stoney said. “No i should live surprised that some people want another shot.”
Virginia body politic Sen. Joe Morrissey (D-Richmond) was surprised, and he’s against another referendum. Morrissey says such an effort goes against the democratic process. He instead favors expiration legislation on the commonwealth level to tolerate nearby Petersburg Campaign to expect its have residents whether they require to welcome the casino.
Morrissey believes a cassino in Petersburg to the south of capital of Virginia would do good the neighborhood as a whole.