PETERSBURG, Va. (WRIC) – The city of Petersburg can hold a casino vote this November after Virginia lawmakers approved a change to a bill from Gov. Glenn Youngkin.
The Virginia General Assembly approved a bill to make Petersburg eligible for a casino vote, but there was a re-enactment clause added to the legislation to require a second vote to put it into effect.
Gov. Youngkin (R) proposed an amendment to remove that clause that was approved by the House of Delegates and Virginia Senate during the General Assembly’s reconvened session on April 17.
“After two previous failed attempts, in my first Senate session, the General Assembly has officially given its support to allow the citizens of Petersburg to have a referendum vote on a casino,” state Sen. Lashrecse Aird (D-Petersburg), the bill’s sponsor, said in a statement.
The votes came after Youngkin signed bills to remove Richmond from the list of Virginia’s eligible host cities for a casino in Virginia.
Petersburg “will quickly move toward” having a casino referendum on the ballot for this November’s elections, the city announced Wednesday. Petersburg’s city manager will lead the creation of a committee made up of “city team members and community representatives” to plan for the effort, per the city.
“This opportunity has the potential to be a game changer for our city,” Petersburg Mayor Sam Parham said in a statement.
“Senator Aird has fulfilled her promise to equip Petersburg with the needed tools to drive positive change and foster growth for future generations,” Parham continued. “The City also wants to thank Governor Youngkin for removing the re-enactment clause and the General Assembly for final approval.”
State code doesn’t list the eligible cities for a casino — Portsmouth, Norfolk, Danville, and Bristol – but lists specific limits that fit each. The bills signed by Youngkin strip out language making Richmond eligible and include language that makes Petersburg one of the eligible cities.
“I made a promise to give my community this opportunity and today I delivered on that promise,” Sen. Aird’s statement continued. “While voters will have the final say on whether a casino becomes a reality, this legislation has the potential for multi-million dollar economic investment to be made in a community that both needs and truly deserves it.”
