Richmond Casino Suffers Setback

The progress towards establishing a fifth Virginia casino remains intact, even if a vote in Richmond is delayed until 2024. Developers of One Resort + Casino have requested the city of Richmond to postpone seeking voter approval for the casino by one year.

Just two months ago, the pause signifies a significant change. Back in June, both the city and project developers were prepared to take the matter to court as it seemed to be the only option for securing a casino vote on the Nov. 8, 2024 ballot.

The November 2024 Richmond casino vote was blocked by a budget amendment in Virginia.

“At the time, Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney expressed his disappointment regarding the Virginia General Assembly’s decision to amend the state budget in a manner that intentionally undermines economic opportunities for the residents of the City of Richmond.”

The City Council of our municipality has voted 8-1, and the Circuit Court has issued an order, stating that the people of Richmond should be given a chance to express their views on this matter in November. While we are currently evaluating our legal alternatives, we remain steadfast in our conviction that the residents of Richmond should not be deprived of their voting rights mere months before their scheduled opportunity to cast their ballots.

Richmond casino owners slow down timeline

The supporters of the project made the decision that they would not be able to win the lawsuit in time for a vote in the fall. However, Urban One Inc., a media conglomerate, sees a more feasible opportunity in the year 2024.

With a pair of cable networks and over 60 radio broadcast stations under its belt, Urban One would establish One Resort + Casino as the inaugural Black majority-owned casino in the United States.

On Thursday, August 4, Urban One officially announced the delay in their Richmond casino bid.

Even though we have compelling legal reasons to proceed in 2024, we have requested our partner, the City of Richmond, to retract their petition for a November 2024 ballot referendum. Our decision stems from our belief that engaging in a prolonged legal conflict at this juncture would not be in the best interest of Richmond’s residents or the State of Virginia. Instead, our current objective is to secure victory in the Richmond casino referendum set for 2024.

A closer look at One Resort + Casino plans

According to the official website of the project, if Richmond voters approve the 2024 casino plans, One Resort + Casino will become the fifth casino in Virginia, attracting approximately 3.7 million visitors annually.

There will be a Resort + Casino situated in South Richmond, conveniently close to the Philip Morris manufacturing center and Interstate 95.

The new timeline allows developers to modify their plans. However, as of now, the project requires 100,000 square feet of gaming space, comprising of:

• There are over 1,800 slot machines available.
• Over 100 table games
• A poker room
• And a high-tech sportsbook

The exquisite Legacy Tower offers 250 hotel rooms that provide breathtaking views of the city. Additionally, the resort boasts an impressive business center, a fully-equipped fitness room, and an expansive 55-acre green space. The visionary developers behind Rise Theater have meticulously crafted a venue capable of accommodating over 250,000 guests who will be enthralled by an impressive lineup of 200 live shows.

The plans for One Resort + Casino include the addition of 15 unique restaurants and bars.

The $565 million casino complex would be operated by Peninsula Pacific Entertainment.

Richmond was only city to vote down a Virginia casino

In 2020, the Virginia gaming industry achieved an impressive record as residents granted approval for casinos in Bristol, Danville, Norfolk, and Portsmouth, making it a perfect 4-for-4 victories.

The November 2021 ballot included Richmond as the sole Virginia city authorized to conduct a casino vote.

The casino plans did not receive majority support from voters in the capital city. As a result, Petersburg, located approximately 20 miles south of Richmond, has emerged as a potential location. However, they currently lack the necessary state authorization to proceed with constructing a casino.

On Thursday night, when Urban One CEO Alfred Liggins made the 2024 vote announcement, Chris Suarez from the Richmond Times was present.

Liggins addressed a gathering of approximately 100 individuals on Thursday evening, expressing that this situation has resulted in a legal dispute and raised significant uncertainty.

The CEO expressed that initiating a lawsuit to include it on the 2024 ballot would most likely not be resolved in a timely manner, preventing us from having early voting in late September.