In a city laden with historic resonance, Petersburg, Virginia finds itself at the epicenter of a modern struggle as the interests of major casino corporations converge. On a seemingly typical Wednesday session last April 24th, the Petersburg City Council ignited controversy by employing a no-bid process to single out the Cordish Companies for the development and management of an upcoming casino, a pivotal decision that overshadowed years of debate on whether Petersburg’s citizens should have a say in such developments.
This narrative traces its origins back to April 22, 2020, when the Virginia state legislature sanctioned both retail and digital sports betting as well as five land-based casinos, albeit with a crucial provision requiring local endorsement. By November of the same year, affirmative referenda in Bristol, Danville, Portsmouth, and Norfolk set the stage for forthcoming casinos.
Existing agreements are already in place for Caesars in Danville, Hard Rock in Bristol, and Rivers in Portsmouth while plans for a fourth establishment in Norfolk are moving ahead. A cooperative endeavor between the Pamunkey Indian Tribe and a commercial casino outfit envisioned the tribe as the land purchaser, intent on placing it into a trust. However, this has yet to materialize, and without city approval or a designated casino license by 2025, voters will face the issue once more at the ballot box.
Richmond, Virginia’s capital, weighed in on this casino-centric climate with a 2021 referendum rejecting Urban One’s proposal endorsed by the city. A subsequent poll in 2023 produced the same outcome, quashing casino ambitions for the second time.
Amidst these rejections, Petersburg declared its stake in the casino gamble. Nonetheless, Richmond’s decision to revote effectively barred the legislature from granting Petersburg residents their own verdict. Casino corporations like Bally’s and the Cordish Companies submitted preliminary proposals for a Petersburg establishment. Then, in a legislative amendment two weeks prior, state lawmakers modified the 2020 casino bill, permitting Petersburg to hold its own November referendum and gauge public sentiment on hosting a casino.
Prior to securing a definitive spot on the ballot, the Petersburg leadership preemptively sought casino collaborators, with behemoths such as Bally’s, the Cordish Companies, PENN Entertainment, Rush Street, and the Warrenton Group in partnership with Delaware North entering the fray.
Each hopeful participant laid out their vision during a public town-hall gathering on April 14. A scant ten days forward, the city council retreated for a private deliberation and emerged with an unexpected move — a no-bid award to the Cordish Companies, much to the chagrin of others who had eyed the Richmond casino but were not chosen.
Controversy brewed further with a report by the Virginia Mercury. It divulged that City Manager John Altman, Jr. penned a letter endorsing Bally’s for the casino contract. Yet, this letter, replete with commitments to Bally’s, was ultimately never sent. It sparked a mire of claims from city officials, who lamented that the document was executed amidst legislative coercion.
A stark resolution rescinded the proposal request, declaring the letter unintentionally signed and not a reflection of voluntary consensus; it was a tactical response driven by legislative pressure, lest Petersburg risk forfeiting its casino referendum proposition.
Amid the scramble, accusations surfaced that the selection of Cordish Companies deviated from expected procedural norms. The initial legislation, however, did not mandate a formal bidding process. Nonetheless, the resolution tendered pointed to two consultancy firms recommending Cordish, insinuating that the aforementioned letter entailed an ultimatum — sign or risk having the bill shot down in assembly.
Petersburg, once the battleground of the 1864-65 Siege that virtually marked the end of the Civil War, is now embroiled in a different kind of conflict. The present-day turf war involves not cannons and cavalry but boardrooms and ballots, with major casino corporations vying for dominion. The overarching question remains: who will prevail in Petersburg’s contemporary casino conflict?
