Richmond’s Crusade for Voters, a nonprofit organization that works to elevate the political act upon and voting strength of Blacks inward the VA capital, says efforts to relocate the city’s casino opportunity are unjust.
Founded inwards 1956 during the civil rights struggle, the capital of Virginia Crusade for Voters came in response to a statewide referendum on public teaching that saw Blacks outvoted by a 4-1 margin. The referendum sought to forestall local governments and their public schools from beingness allowed to city block integration.
Less than 50% of Shirley Temple Black voters inward Richmond voted during the January 1956 referendum. Since then, Crusade for Voters has rallied Blacks to bond paper unitedly to call forth their collective vocalisation on the tell level.
The latest come forth Crusade for Voters believes could experience a substantial wallop on the Black community of interests is Richmond’s casino chance that was authorised through nation lawmaking in 2020. Richmonders narrowly rejected a proposed $600 trillion casino proposition called One Casino + Resort during a November 2021 referendum.
More white, affluent neighborhoods compass north of the William James River voted strongly against the cassino project, which targeted vacant solid ground just turned Interstate 95 next to the Prince Philip Esther Morris headquarters. The casino situation is southeastern of the city’s downtown area.
Casino Backstory
Richmond urban center officials were tasked with fielding gaming resort hotel proposals from interested developers after tell lawmakers qualified the uppercase to mull a casino. The city’s Casino Evaluation Panel fielded vi bids, with tenders coming from the Bally’s Corporation, The Cordish Companies, Golden Nugget, Wind Creek Hospitality, Pamunkey American Indian Tribe, and Urban One.
The city in the end went with Urban One, a Black-focused media conglomerate. Urban One pitched One Casino + Resort inward conjunction with Peninsula Pacific Entertainment (P2E), a gaming business firm with a lengthy account of managing casinos. The One Casino delivery additionally included about 50 local investors, to the highest degree of whom identified as minorities.
One has a large grouping of various investors, providing opportunities for nonage ownership and including mental representation crosswise Richmond,” Urban One officials said in 2021. “One is well-nigh lifting people upward and building wealth within the capital of Virginia community.”
After Richmond’s 2021 cassino referendum was voted downwards 51-49%, efforts commenced to relocate the city’s gaming opportunity to nearby Petersburg. The capital of Virginia City Council wants to lead a endorse gaming referendum this November.
Protecting Opportunity
White turnout during the 2021 referendum was said to be better than Negro widening during what was the state’s gubernatorial. The Richmond City Council believes a to a greater extent unified message virtually the possible benefits that Urban One’s casino would pitch the neighborhood would entice more Blacks to voting inward financial support of the gaming question.
Leaders at the capital of Virginia Crusade for Voters say country politicians who believe a endorse vote goes against the Democratic process, or who need to slip Richmond’s cassino favour and make a motion it to Petersburg, would wrongly refuse Negro residents of a considerable economic opportunity. During the state’s 2021 budget discussions, res publica Sen. Joe Morrissey (D-Richmond, Petersburg) successfully slid inwards a proviso that out of use(p) Richmond from conducting another casino referendum until at to the lowest degree November 2023. Morrissey believes a casino inward Petersburg would do good the realm as a whole.
“We don’t want the flop to voter turnout on this to live taken away,” Richmond Crusade for Voters 1st Vice President Marty Jewell told the Richmond Times-Dispatch. Jewell is a former capital of Virginia metropolis councilor.
This is the number 1 and only when clip such a budget quantity has ever been passed to deny residents of a city their right wing to vote, especially a majority-Black city,” Jewell added.
House Appropriations Chair Del. Barry Knight (R-Virginia Beach) is leading the budget crusade to cube another capital of Virginia gambling casino vote. State budget negotiations are dragging inward Richmond because of a stalemate between Democrats and Republicans over how it’s best to lead around piercing state disbursement past $1 billion, something Republican Gov. John Glenn Youngkin is demanding.
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