RFA Canvassing Engages Community on Proposed Casino

Canvassing effort reveals lack of support for ONE Casino project in the 8th district.

For the past few weeks, Richmond For All has been canvassing to speak with residents about the proposed construction of a casino in Southside Richmond. In three weeks, the organization’s volunteers have knocked 175 doors in precinct 806 where the casino project is proposed to be built. The proposed site sits adjacent to residential homes and wetlands.

Casino developers and city leaders supportive of the project have pushed the narrative that Southside residents support the expansion of the gaming industry in their neighborhood. Data collected during canvassing tells another story, showing 45% of residents are opposed to the project, with an additional 25% undecided.

“The results are clear. There is no broad-based neighborhood support for this casino,” said Richmond for All’s Political Director Quinton Robbins, who is also an 8th district resident. “Casinos are an extractive industry that will rob our community just to make a few folks wealthy. After canvassing for the past couple of weeks, it is clear to me that my neighbors are worried about how this casino will hurt the place that we call home.”

The establishment of an Urban One Casino site would lend Peninsula Pacific Entertainment a monopoly hold on the gaming industry in Richmond. The national gaming conglomerate owns the Colonial Downs Group, which operates Horseplay OTB Parlors (active in Chesapeake, Henrico, Richmond, and Collinsville), and Rosie’s Gaming Emporiums (operating in Dumfries, Hampton, New Kent, Richmond, Vinton, Emporia, and soon, Christiansburg).