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Richmond casino gets boost

Jeremy M. Lazarus | 7/6/2023, 6 p.m.
Richmond advocates for a casino gained a boost when talks between house and senate negotiators over an amended state budget ...

Richmond advocates for a casino gained a boost when talks between house and senate negotiators over an amended state budget collapsed last week, although public school and mental health advocates were left disappointed.

Essentially, the breakdown of negotiations appears to have ensured that the general assembly would not impose any barrier to the state’s capital city holding a second vote on hosting a $560 million casino-resort in South Side.

Concern had emerged that language might be inserted in the amended budget to block the vote in the november general election, just as the legislature had in crafting the 2022-2024 budget.

Richmond voters narrowly rejected the casino development in a 2021 vote, but Mayor Levar M. Stoney and City Council have pushed for a re-vote. City Hall now awaits the casino-regulating Virginia Lottery to approve the referendum.

That is anticipated later this month, allowing the city to seek an order from the Richmond Circuit Court to add the casino issue to the ballot. the court has never turned down such a request.

Still, the collapse of negotiations on about $3 billion in state revenue scuttled school district hopes of gaining additional funding. The collapse also upended proposals to increase spending on mental health services.

Gov. Glenn A. Youngkin could call a special legislative session in a bid to restart talks.

The major reason for the breakdown was a disagreement between negotiators for the Republican-controlled House and the Democratic-controlled Senate over the amount to be allocated for state tax cuts that Gov. Youngkin has proposed.

Democrats have supported increased spending on education and public services, while Republicans have proposed some increases, with more money devoted to tax cuts. Both sides said the impasse could not be overcome before the June 30 deadline.