After voters in Richmond, Virginia rejected a plan for a on line casino a second time final 12 months, plans rapidly shifted to the close by metropolis of Petersburg. The metropolis council accredited a possible on line casino operator final week in a no-bid course of that has raised eyebrows and is more likely to convey a lawsuit in opposition to the town.
The metropolis has named the Cordish Companies because the potential on line casino operator. The hospitality, gaming, and actual property firm relies in Baltimore, Maryland, and runs the Live! model of on line casino and leisure venues across the nation.
Selecting the corporate hasn’t come with out controversy, nevertheless, and the Unite Here Local 25 has promised to sue, arguing that the council violated the state’s freedom of knowledge legislation by deciding on the on line casino associate behind closed doorways.
“The City of Petersburg’s actions show a shocking disregard for the law and democratic norms,” union political director Sam Epps mentioned. “Petersburg had begun a competitive RFP (request for proposal) process that should have proceeded with transparency and fairness. Instead, city council apparently abused a closed session to discuss the selection of the casino operator.”
I*ssues Swirl Around Casino Announcement*
Virginia legalized casinos in 2020, however native voter approval is required. Residents in Bristol, Danville, Portsmouth, and Norfolk accredited on line casino plans in 2020. Voters in Petersburg at the moment are set to take to the polls to determine on the problem in November.
City leaders initially introduced a bidding course of for a possible associate, with Bally’s, Cordish, Penn Entertainment, Rush Street Gaming, and Warrenton Group/Delaware North all vying for the job at an April 14 assembly.
The council then introduced a no-bid course of awarding the partnership to Cordish. Discrepancies later surfaced that Bally’s had initially been accepted by the town supervisor and that strain from the overall meeting resulted in naming Cordish because the associate.
The metropolis later introduced the cancellation of the bidding course of and famous: “The letter of intent signed by the manager was never formally authorized by the city council; was not executed freely and voluntarily; and was not delivered to Bally’s but instead was signed and returned to the sender in response to a demand as a condition of allowing SB 628 to proceed.”
The legislation permitting for a Petersburg on line casino doesn’t really require a bidding course of and Petersburg Mayor Sam Parham mentioned the council was pressured by the legislature to decide on Cordish. Along with the union, state leaders have additionally been essential of the method and the place the problem goes now stays to be seen.
“The city’s actions demonstrate the ongoing struggle within the city’s governance in the pursuit of what the citizens of Petersburg truly deserve, State Sen. Laschrecse Aird (D-Petersburg) said, “which is an economic development project that they have a say in and truly benefits all citizens.”
