The new owners of this vacated Bristol Theater in Bristol, Virginia are considering the opportunity to turn the site into a casino hotel , neighborhood news outlet that the Bristol Herald Courier reported over the weekend.
The accounts were verified by Clyde Stacy, the mind of this group that acquired the 450,000-square-foot facility earlier this year. They have hired public relations firm Alliance Group Ltd. to assume lobbying obligations for the projected creation of a casino within a larger resort-style property.
The empty mall could thus be turned into a casino complex that, apart from its gambling options, will feature multiple additional amusement and food and drink facilities. According to original projections, a land of this kind would attract 80 percent of its visitors from outside Virginia. In addition, it would create over 2,000 “good paying” occupations.
Additionally, it appears that the casino proposition might get the nod in the City Council, despite worries related to the gaming portion of the scheme. City Manager Randy Eads has told local press that they have been working together with the group that now owns the Bristol Mall for the past three months.
The Bristol official said that all worries voiced City Councilor will be discussed together with the Bristol Mall owners so that they are alleviated and everybody else in Southwest Virginia is offered the best possible experience out of their proposed project.
Though the proposed casino job may have gained some traction among members of the Bristol City Council, it may hit a roadblock at the Virginia General Assembly. Casino gaming is prohibited in the state under its current laws. In addition, Virginia lawmakers have a long history of rejecting some suggestions for a change in the present status quo.
Commenting on the planned Bristol casino, Sen. Bill Carrico has told local press that the effort could indeed see quite some struggle at Richmond. The lawmaker further pointed out that he has been one of the opposers of this legalization of casino gaming in the state. He also said that he was fairly skeptical any such effort would succeed this time around.
Mr. Eads, on the other hand, said he believed it was the ideal time for Virginia to join the casino mix as it has been too long since the state was losing tax revenue to other states where Las Vegas-style gambling is legal.
Sen. Caricco pointed out that he preferred for residents of this region to decide if they want a casino in their own city or not. The effort thus could go to a referendum prior to the state Legislature has some say on it.
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