Richmond Casino Second Effort Dealt Bad Hand, as Bill Seeking Revote Ban Advances

The Richmond gambling casino referendum inwards Virginia that failed endure Nov has been dealt yet another spoiled hand. The outcome resulted inward a proposed $565 trillion hazard called ONE Casino + Resort beingness rejected.

Richmond officials this calendar week voted inward favour of moving frontward with a indorsement local voting on the casino project. The Nov election final result of roughly 1,500 votes against the casino come out of to a greater extent than 77,000 votes mould prompted the Richmond City Council into task an travail to enquire urban center residents to reconsider their position.

But legislating on the tell pull down introduced by Sen. Joe Morrissey (D-Richmond) seeks to mental block a 2nd cassino ballot inwards Richmond from occurring. The assess — Senate Bill 203 — would amend the state’s commercial message gaming natural law to take into account nearby Petersburg to deal a gaming development. It would also forbid capital of Virginia from holding another gaming referendum ballot for a minimum of Little Phoebe years.

Virginia’s 2020 cassino government note allowed Little Phoebe cities that met a slew of hardships to mull a cassino holiday resort development in say to gad regional economic activity. capital of Virginia is the fillet of sole urban center that rejected its gambling casino opportunity.

People Have Spoken

Morrissey explains that piece he was supportive of ONE Casino + Resort coming to Richmond, the people’s vote should be well-thought-of and upheld.

“The people spoke. Over 1,500 was a margin, not a great one, but 1,500 said no, they doh non need the casino,” Morrissey explained this week during a citizens committee auditory modality regarding SB203. “So, we pivoted to Petersburg.”

Morrissey says efforts by Richmond councilmembers are undemocratic.

They require a do-over. Essentially, it says, ‘Well, we lost. Let’s hold a do-over.’ If they turn a loss again, how well-nigh another do-over and another one?” Morrissey said. “That’s non the path the democratic cognitive process works.”

Morrissey’s Petersburg Campaign casino eyeshade made onward motion yesterday, with unanimous favourable reception from the Senate General Laws and Technology’s Gaming subcommittee. The statute at present moves to the good committee for review.

Morrissey was pardoned by outgoing Old Dominion State Gov. Ralph Northam (D) before this month for his 2014 misdemeanour article of faith for having a sexual involvement with a adult female who was only when 17-years older at the time. Morrissey, who was 57 at the time, ended up marrying the adult female — Myrna Pride — inward 2016.

Richmond officials, including Mayor Levar Stoney (D), say a s ballot is warranted. Backers of the revote claim that the economic and biotic community benefits that ONE Casino would make brought the capital metro should make been ameliorate presented and explained.

To sweeten the deal, Stoney has suggested that if the cassino is authorized in Richmond, metropolis residents would live immediately rewarded with a two-cent on-the-dollar attribute task reduction.

Dillon Rule State

Virginia is ane of 40 states that adheres to the Dillon’s Rule principle, which limits the force of local governments. Dillon’s Rule, named for John the Divine Forest Dillon, who was the chief justice of the Iowa Supreme Margaret Court and a US Circuit Court adjudicate inward the indorsement half of the 19th Century, greatly distrusted local governments.

During his time as chief justness inward Iowa, Dillon was a Florida key determinator inward sound complaints regarding whether a tell or urban center has absolute powerfulness over a municipality. Dillon in an view said that “Those topper fitted past intelligence, business organization experience, capacity, and moral character” lean not to keep local office, but say positions. He summarized that local municipality leaders tended to live “unwise.”

If Morrissey’s SB203 passes and is signed past Gov. John Glenn Youngkin (R), Richmond’s urban center ordinances calling for a secondment casino voting would live annulled.