Six thousand people attended a free concert by the Isley Brothers in Richmond, Virginia, last weekend, part of the campaign to encourage voters to approve a new casino in the city. In addition, backers of the casino project are offering a host of perks to residents of Richmond as part of an unprecedented $8 million campaign to sway voters.
Next Tuesday, voters in Richmond will cast their ballots on whether or not to approve the state’s fifth casino, Richmond Grand Resort and Casino. This comes after campaigners for the casino suffered a defeat in 2021, losing by about 1,500 votes, or just less than 2 percent. However, the major players supporting a casino in Richmond, including city leaders, developers, and more recently local organized labor, pushed for a second referendum in 2023 which features some changes from the last proposal and has accelerated efforts to win over voters.
One of the most prominent changes is the entrance of Churchill Downs Inc. as a 50 percent partner alongside the previously slated casino operator, Maryland-based media conglomerate Urban One. The stakes are undeniably high, as emphasized by the hefty $8 million campaign fund set aside by Urban One, Churchill Downs, and advocates for the casino. The group favoring the previous proposal, ‘Vote Yes, Richmond Wins!’ spent $2.6 million on the campaign in 2021.
However, despite the renewed push and changes, polling suggests that the outcome remains unpredictable. A recent survey by the national polling firm co/efficient, conducted between Oct. 23-25, encompassed 914 likely Richmond voters and the results were 49 percent leaning toward “yes” and 52 percent toward ”no.” The results, however, fall within the survey’s margin of error of plus or minus 3.23 percentage points. These findings mirror a September poll by Founders Insight, which found voters evenly divided at 44 percent-44 percent, with 12 percent undecided. Early voting began Sept. 22.
The campaign to approve the Richmond Grand Resort and Casino held the block party featuring the Isley Brothers, renowned for their iconic tracks like “Twist and Shout” and “Who’s That Lady?”, at the Hickory Hill Community Center, situated two miles from the proposed project site. The community center also serves as one of Richmond’s three early voting centers, underlining the strategic importance of the event. It was a hit, with tickets selling out.
Beyond the festivities, the “Yes” campaign has been actively engaging with the community to encourage a “yes” vote after a failed attempt to gain the support of residents in 2021. Churchill Downs and Urban One canvassers have offered free Uber rides and meal vouchers, ensuring that potential voters have every convenience to cast their vote, be it during early voting or on the upcoming Election Day.
Supporters include Mayor Levar Stoney, who has proposed channeling half of the tax revenue from the project toward preschools and early childhood education initiatives.
Mayor Stoney said, “I’m hoping that people who want the city to be a city that supports children come out and vote yes.” This sentiment is echoed by organized labor, the Richmond City Council, and recently, 13 local pastors who’ve expressed their backing for the “Yes” campaign in an open letter to Richmonders during the campaign.
“We believe the proposed Richmond Grand will give more Richmonders an opportunity for a great job, deliver real investment in communities that are too often forgotten and help create a stronger, safer city,” read the letter.
Urban One, Churchill Downs, and advocates within the city government have said that the project will generate 1,300 jobs paying $55,000, alongside generating nearly $30 million in taxes for the city. They have also come to an agreement with the Richmond Building Trades Council that if the measure is approved, only unionized labor will be used to construct the site.
