Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin Denies Petersburg Casino Bill Tied to Potomac Yard
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) says he won’t sleeper the Petersburg Campaign casino eyeshade that’s on his desk to his pushing of a $2 one thousand million sports scene of action inward Alexandria known as the Potomac Yard Entertainment District.
The Old Dominion State General Assembly sent legislating to the governor before this month requesting that Petersburg Campaign follow qualified to weigh a commercial gaming resort. The billhook was championed past Senate President Pro Tempore L. Louise George Lucas (D-Portsmouth), I of the to the highest degree powerful Democratic lawmakers in the commonwealth.
Youngkin has remained uncommitted to the Petersburg casino push despite the regulator launching his “Partnership for Petersburg” computer program designed to improve the city’s economic wellness and the lives of residents.
We’ll see,” Youngkin said when asked past The Progress-Index about whether he will signal Senate Bill 628.
SB 628 would appropriate Petersburg to theatre of operations militant bids for a casino resort development. Once metropolis officials plectron a scheme, the proposition would go before local voters where a unsubdivided majority would want to bring their championship to the initiative.
Potential Roadblocks
Legislative efforts to designate Petersburg for a gambling casino began after Richmond voters foremost rejected a gambling casino during the Nov 2021 election. Washington metropolis residents voted against a proposed gambling casino for a indorsement clip during the November 2023 election.
Richmond’s opposition to a Las Vegas-style gambling casino resort prompted lawmakers to run the cassino license southward some 25 miles to Petersburg. The general assembly got behind the driving force after George Lucas lent her support.
Lucas, however, is ane of the to the highest degree vocal opponents of the Potomac Yard Entertainment District, which would get the new rest home of the NBA’s George Washington Wizards and NHL’s President Washington Capitals. Youngkin wants to expend taxpayer money to aid billionaire Teddy boy Leonis and Monumental Sports & Entertainment relocate his professional sports teams from Washinton, DC’s Washington One Arena to Alexandria.
Speculation has latterly surfaced that Youngkin power expend the Petersburg casino invoice as a bargaining silicon chip for the sports complex. Unless George Lucas lifts her opposite to Potomac Yard, the governor mightiness not signalize SB 628.
Youngkin rejected those claims this week.
I’m not holding anything as voice of a dialogue on the Potomac River Yard development,” Younkin told reporters on Tuesday. “It’s a spectacular project. It stands on its own.
“It’s compelling for the full commonwealth, and therefore, we should perform it,” Youngkin declared.
Youngkin Questions Revote
While Youngkin claims he won’t have the Petersburg Campaign casino Federal Reserve note surety until he gets his way with the Potomac Yard undertaking, the regulator did rise concerns as to wherefore House lawmakers included an amendment to the legislation that requires it to undergo a endorse ballot during a “subsequent fixture or special election.” The regulator also wants to fill with Petersburg Mayor Sam Parham, metropolis officials, and the community to standard of measurement their livelihood for a gambling casino enterprise.
Why was thither a reenactment clause placed on [the bill]? What does the mayor think? What make out the urban center councilmembers think?” Youngkin asked. “I’m digging inward and speech production to folks especially intermeshed inward this as to wherefore the statute law is where it is.”
Parham and the Petersburg Campaign City Council have already publicly declared their backing.
“I inquire for [the governor’s] support,” Parham said recently. “The people of Petersburg Campaign are really excited to check this displace through.”
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