Richmond city leaders really, really want a casino. So much so that they resurrected an effort to build a sprawling, $562 million entertainment emporium that Richmond voters killed in 2021.
Voters will have another chance to yea or nay the casino in November’s general election after Richmond City Council voted June 12 to put the casino referendum on the ballot once again. Public perceptions of the casino are mixed, with voters pointing to an array of factors from race to economic equity that they see as front of mind in the decision.
The Richmond Grand Resort and Casino developers are making lots of promises about how much their venue would benefit the 8th and 9th districts of Richmond’s Southside, a largely Black and Latino part of the city that has long struggled with poverty, unemployment, limited economic development and other challenges.
