The legislative endeavor to resurrect the ONE Casino + Resort in Richmond, Virginia has come up against substantial resistance in the form of Virginia State Sen. Joe Morrissey. The notable figure has explicitly stated his determination to prevent this campaign from being included in this year’s referendum.
Morrissey’s Staunch Opposition to the Casino Project
The ONE Casino + Resort project, which had its genesis in 2021, when approval was granted for five cities including Richmond, Danville, Bristol, Norfolk, and Portsmouth to commence casino construction, remains the only initiative which has not materialized thus far.
In the 2021 referendum, the project was dismissed after 51% of the voting populace decided against it. Later, in 2022, Sen. Morrissey proposed an amendment to the state budget aiming to halt the project, advocating for the casino to be situated in Petersburg instead. However, an effort to pass a casino measure in Petersburg also fell through.
There are renewed concerns that Morrissey may once again attempt to stymie the project, dampening the enthusiasm generated by the recent vote at the Richmond City Council that hinted at a potential revival of the project on this year’s ballot, as the senator remains steadfast in preventing Richmond from constructing a casino.
“I will do all in my power to ensure that the budget language explicitly prevents Richmond from procuring a casino,” Morrissey told NBC12 Richmond, expressing his displeasure at the city’s recurrent efforts to obtain a referendum.
It feels as though we’re stuck in Groundhog Day, hearing the same arguments time and again.
Sen. Joe Morrissey
Apart from Morrissey’s legal resistance to the casino, others also oppose the initiative. Allan-Charles Chipman from Initiatives of Change USA argues that this issue addresses Richmond’s regard for democratic processes and that the casino project remains unchanged.
Casino Initiative Unchanged
The ambitious ONE Casino + Resort project, estimated to cost $562.5 million, entails the construction of a 250-room hotel, a 3,000-seat entertainment venue, dining establishments and a casino. It will be operated collaboratively by Churchill Downs Incorporated (CDI) and Urban One through their joint venture, RVA Entertainment Holdings.
The projected annual revenue from the casino property is expected to be around $29.7 million. If the proposal goes to a vote in November and is approved, the developers must provide $25.5 million to the city, per their agreement with the Richmond City Council.
Richmond’s Mayor Levar Stoney remains hopeful that the initiative stands a better chance of passing the upcoming referendum, anticipating the November voting with optimism.
“I am feeling extremely positive,” Mayor Stoney stated. “I am full of hope about the possible outcomes in November,” he added.
Even if Morrissey’s measures to impede the proposal are unsuccessful, it will still need approval from the Virginia Lottery and Richmond Circuit Court before it could be included in the November ballot.
