HENRICO COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — Gov. Glenn Youngkin has announced his first set of vetoes, among them is a change to the state budget plan that would have required a referendum for a new Rosie’s Gaming Emporium location in Henrico County.
Last month, the Virginia General Assembly approved a budget plan that would require Churchill Downs, Rosie’s parent company — and any other companies hoping to open a gaming facility in Virginia, to have a public referendum before any facility could be built or operated.
“I did the work. I spoke to everybody and what I learned was that, had Colonial Downs gone to another site, then [that site] would not have said they needed a new referendum. They went to a different site, because that was a site that they had agreed with the county,” Youngkin said in an explanation for his veto. “They received all the permits they needed to start building, they’d invested $5 million in this new site and then someone came and tried to change the rules on them. I just didn’t think that was appropriate. That is not the way we do business.”
On Monday, March. 24, the Henrico County Government released the following statement in response to the governor’s veto:
“Henrico County is profoundly disappointed by the governor’s decision to remove voters from having a direct say in whether historical horse racing slot machine operators, such as Rosie’s, should operate in their backyards.
In bipartisan fashion, the General Assembly outlined a transparent, public process that would give voters a voice in whether their communities should welcome these facilities. But instead of empowering voters, the governor’s decision rewards Rosie’s and similar companies that are uninterested in healthy, public engagement that is at the heart of a democracy.
‘As we’ve seen repeatedly in recent months, Rosie’s has done nothing but hide from Henrico’s voters and skirt meaningful discussion of its potential presence within our community,’ said Dan Schmitt, chair of the Henrico County Board of Supervisors. ‘There will never be a day where Henrico County doesn’t fight for the voice of its residents.’”
The Rosie’s construction project at Staples Mill shopping center caused controversy after its initial filing in June 2024 when residents and local officials complained they hadn’t been able to vote on it before it was pushed through.
Sen. Schuyler VanValkenburg (D-Henrico), was among those who voiced frustrations, saying “[the] project, like all gambling projects, is going to require the voice of the people of Henrico.”
In response, a spokesperson with Churchill Downs issued a statement claiming the referendum would set a concerning precedent.
“These measures send a deeply troubling message to every Virginia business that they may face arbitrary punishment even if they adhere to regulations and follow the law,” the statement reads. “Virginia’s reputation as a business-friendly state is based on the belief that the Commonwealth keeps its word and governs in a thoughtful, transparent manner.”
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