Richmond group voices support for Urban One casino bid

RICHMOND, Va. (WWBT) - Several groups have come out against Richmond’s plan to bring a casino to the city. Now, another is voicing its support for one of the plans.

On Tuesday, the Richmond Highway Neighborhood Civic Association - formally known as the Jefferson Davis Neighborhood Civic Association - publicly endorsed the Urban One casino bid, in an industrial area off Commerce Road.

The group is calling on neighbors and the community to contact city leaders to support the project - a partnership between the Washington-based media company and Peninsula Pacific Entertainment, the owner of Colonial Downs Racetrack and Rosie’s Gaming Emporiums. It would be built on land currently owned by Philip Morris USA and by the first Black-owned casino in the United States.

Proposal submitted to open first black-owned casino in U.S.

The president of the association, Charles Willis, says there is overwhelming support for the project throughout Richmond’s eighth district.

“I have personally sat on porches with Black, white, Hispanics all of the neighbors that make up our neighborhood, and not one has said we do not want a casino,” said Willis. “In fact, they ask when and what can I do .“

Eighth District Councilwoman Reva Trammell has not endorsed the casino project but has said publicly that most of her constituents are supportive of it.

The city council will vote in June on whether or not the city will hold a public referendum on a preferred casino operator and a project site in November.

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