In a crucial decision for Virginia's capital city, voters in Richmond are currently casting their ballots on whether to allow developers to proceed with a proposed $562 million resort casino along Interstate 95. This ballot measure comes two years after the city narrowly rejected a similar proposal. However, developers have returned with a retooled plan, investing approximately $10 million into a pro-casino campaign to garner support for the project, which is endorsed by Mayor Levar Stoney and major local business groups. Despite this, opponents have voiced concerns that the casino will exacerbate problem gambling and siphon wealth from the working class.

The project, now dubbed the Richmond Grand Resort and Casino, is a joint venture between Urban One, a media company, and Churchill Downs, the operator of the Kentucky Derby and several gambling establishments nationwide. The proposed location remains the same as in the previous plan, situated on a former tobacco company site just off I-95 in south Richmond. If the referendum passes, the casino would include various gambling options such as slots, an on-site sportsbook, and table games. Additionally, plans entail a 250-room hotel, a 55-acre outdoor park, dining establishments, and a 3,000-seat concert venue.

Proponents of the casino estimate that it would create around 1,300 permanent jobs. Furthermore, developers have promised significant financial benefits for the city. If the referendum is successful, an agreement with Richmond calls for an initial one-time payment of $25.5 million, with an additional $1 million after financing is secured. Moreover, the developers have committed to donating $16 million to local charities over a decade and anticipate generating $30 million in annual tax revenue. Notably, the developers have explicitly stated that they are not seeking any public funding incentives or tax breaks.

The project has garnered support from various quarters, including business and labor organizations, influential faith leaders, leading civil rights groups, and the editorial board of a local independent weekly newspaper focused on the Black community. Tierra Ward, the campaign manager for the pro-casino political committee Richmond Wins Vote Yes, expressed confidence in their efforts, stating, "We will be sprinting through the finish line on Election Day with a team of more than 250 canvassers knocking doors, making calls, and advocating for the good jobs and community investment that Richmond Grand will deliver."

However, opponents of the casino have raised numerous concerns. A key argument is that the establishment will extract wealth from the working class while exacerbating problem gambling. Throughout the campaign, anti-casino signs have sprouted across the city, many emphasizing the fact that Richmond had previously rejected the proposal.

In a recent controversy, the developers were compelled to issue an apology to Paul Goldman, a prominent project opponent and long-time Democratic Party activist, after a radio host on an Urban One station made widely condemned anti-Semitic remarks about Goldman. Reacting to the incident, Goldman criticized the developers, stating, "People are realizing they have no respect for the people of Richmond. They're just coming in here, trashing us hoping to make money, and then they're going to leave."

The outcome of the referendum in Richmond will have significant implications, especially considering that in 2020, Virginia lawmakers passed legislation allowing the construction of up to five casinos in the state, subject to voter approval. Three have already opened in Bristol, Portsmouth, and Danville, all located near the North Carolina border, while a fourth is in the early stages of development in Norfolk. Proponents argue that these casinos will bring a much-needed economic boost to struggling regions.