Petersburg Metropolis Council Opens On line casino Request for Proposal Interval
The Petersburg Metropolis Council this week opened a Request for Proposal (RFP) interval for the event of a doable on line casino resort.
The Metropolis of Petersburg has begun its Request for Proposal interval for a doable on line casino resort. The Virginia Senate lately handed laws to designate Petersburg for a on line casino. (Picture: Metropolis of Petersburg)
The Virginia Senate final week handed Senate Invoice 628. The laws, launched by Senate President Professional Tempore Louise Lucas (D-Portsmouth) and Sen. Lashrecse Aird (D-Petersburg), seeks to qualify Petersburg as a on line casino host location. SB 628 breezed by way of the higher chamber and now strikes to the Home of Delegates the place the chances are considered good that the statute will safe further assist.
Petersburg councilors on Monday formally opened town’s RFP for a “Vacation spot Resort.” The “complete financial improvement challenge” is to incorporate a “vacation spot resort, actual property improvement, retail, occasion venue, and on line casino.”
The RFP was initiated by way of a decision that the seven-person council unanimously authorised. builders are inspired to reply to the RFP earlier than March 18 at 10 a.m. EST.
The council’s decision justified the RFP as a result of tax income from such a gaming resort might be used to learn native training, infrastructure, well being, recreation, public security, parks, and different neighborhood wealth-building initiatives.
Metropolis Thanks State Lawmakers
State laws handed in 2020 approved 5 cities to weigh a business on line casino. Profitable on line casino referendums had been held in Norfolk, Portsmouth, Bristol, and Danville. Voters in Richmond, the fifth metropolis, twice rejected a on line casino pitch in 2021 and 2023.
The Petersburg Metropolis Council has been making an attempt to achieve the precise to ask their residents in the event that they need to enable a on line casino resort within the city because the first Richmond referendum. Whereas the legislature gave Richmond time for a second referendum, November’s second defeat has led to state lawmakers getting behind a brand new host metropolis for the fifth and last on line casino license.
With Richmond’s on line casino prospects all however null, state lawmakers like the concept of qualifying Petersburg for slot machines, desk video games, and sports activities betting.
Senator Lashrecse Aird, the invoice’s chief patron alongside Senator Louise Lucas, has performed a pivotal position in advocating for Petersburg’s inclusion as a number metropolis in Normal Meeting laws. This legislative milestone displays the collaborative efforts between Petersburg officers and Senator Aird in advancing the invoice and inspiring neighborhood engagement and assist,” the Petersburg Metropolis Council mentioned in a press release.
“The laws grants Petersburg residents the precise to vote through a referendum for this main financial improvement alternative for the Metropolis,” the assertion added.
RFP Particulars
The Petersburg RFP comes with quite a few tips and suggestions. The event “should embrace” a on line casino, a minimal of 500 lodge rooms graded at 4 stars, eating and consuming institutions, retail buying, and an leisure venue.
The town is barely searching for to work with a “acknowledged on line casino model” with a report of economic success and sustainability. Councilors would like the lodge part to characteristic two distinct choices from established hoteliers.
RFP respondents are to suggest doable websites for the event. The town can also be searching for an upfront payment of $60 million upon the partnership between Petersburg and the developer being established.
The RFP additionally encourages potential builders to make assurances to provide desire to minority- and women-owned companies when selecting distributors and suppliers. The town asks the builders to additionally assure {that a} sure share of the resort’s workforce goes to Petersburg residents.
