Early Voting Begins in Richmond Involving ONE Casino Plans
Voters can start voicing their opinions early in Richmond when it comes to the ONE Casino plans for the capital city.
On November 2nd, voters in Richmond, Virginia will be able to have their say involving the ONE Casino project for the capital. This is a big decision for the region and this week, early voting has started, with registered voters checking yes or no if the want to see a single casino resort help provide growth to the local economy. If the project is approved, the construction phase can begin and eventually the venue will be open for business.
Voting for Urban One Project
Richmond was one of five cities in the state that qualified to ask residents if they would be okay with a commercial casino coming to the area. In November 2020, the four other cities went ahead and voted on the matter. For Richmond, the city decided to seek project plans first and present a full idea to the residents.
Six pitches were sent in and it was Urban One, a media company, that was chosen as the winning plan. The company has teamed up with Peninsula Pacific Entertainment to create the ONE Casino + Resort which will cost $565 million to construct.
The casino would be situated on vacant land near the Philip Morris tobacco plan located on I-95. With the development, South Richmond would benefit, with residents able to apply for jobs as well as a spur of economic activity due to travelers coming to the area.
If the majority of voters approve the Richmond project, then Urban One and P2E will be able to begin constructing the casino. Early voting started a few days ago but we won’t know the full decision until after the November ballots are counted.
Pushing for a YES Vote
Urban One is hopeful that residents will say yes on the matter and are doing all they can to push a positive vote. A campaign was started not long ago with billboards placed near the area showcasing what the venue will bring.
The company also added radio commercials and television spots so that voters can see what saying YES will mean for the region. The ONE Casino + Resort will bring in new jobs and tax revenues, plus more economic development opportunities for the southern section of the city.
According to Urban One, the property would create $500 million in new tax revenues. Within its first 10 years of operations, it would provide $5.7 billion. Almost four million tourists would be brough to the area each year which will help bring in new revenues with local shops and restaurants along with the casino and hotel.
The casino operator has plans to hire 1,500 individuals in permanent positions with pay averaging around $55,000 a year. If residents of Richmond approve the project, it will join Norfolk, Bristol, Portsmouth, and Danville in offering casino gaming. With all five cities offering casino gaming, it would certainly help each region as well as entire state bring in additional revenues each year.
As with any gaming push, there are those who are opposed. Richmond for All is a non-profit that is not in favor of gambling in the capital city. The group claims that a casino would rob the local community just to make a few people wealthy.
It is not uncommon to see opposition when a new casino project is being considered in a US state. usually, those who are opposed are fearful that such a venue will cause an increase in crime, addiction, and family issues. Essentially, this argument falls flat and in most cases, the plans win out and a new venue is constructed when proposed.
We shall see in just a few months how Richmond fares and if the new casino will be created or not.
