RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) – Richmond’s casino dreams have been crushed again by the city’s voters.
Two years after a proposal to bring a casino to Richmond’s Southside was narrowly rejected, voters denied a proposal for a $562 million development in the same area.
The proposed project, known as the Richmond Grand Resort and Casino, was backed by Mayor Levar Stoney and other city leaders.
The backers of the proposed project conceded defeat just before 9 p.m. Tuesday. As of 9:15 p.m., the state’s elections page shows a more than 30% gap between support and opposition.
“We are proud to have run a community-centered campaign to create more opportunities for residents of this great city to rise into the middle class,” the casino developers said in a statement. “We are grateful to the thousands of Richmonders who voted for good jobs and a stronger city, especially those in Southside who poured their hearts into this project.”
The proposal would have brought a $562 million casino development to a site off Interstate 95 in Richmond’s Southside. The proposed project’s developers, a team made up of Urban One and Churchill Downs, said it would have brought 1,300 permanent jobs.
“I will continue to be a voice for communities that have been historically overlooked and underserved,” Stoney said in a statement. “I will work for more accessible and affordable child care, for good paying jobs, and for an abundance of opportunities for ALL Richmonders – no matter their zip code or socioeconomic status.”
8News relies on The Associated Press for calls on state legislative races and local ballot questions. All election results are unofficial until certified by the state Board of Elections.