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ROANOKE, Va. (WFXR) \u2014 On Tuesday, Roanoke city leaders announced plans outlining a push to bring an entertainment district, which would include a casino, to the Berglund Center.<\/p>\n
In the days since, reactions have poured in from the area\u2019s state lawmakers and Roanoke residents, ranging from full-fledged support to complete opposition.<\/p>\n
But the predominant reaction centers around a desire to learn more about what the plans entail.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s everything we know right now about the city\u2019s decision to roll the dice on its next phase of economic development.<\/p>\n
It remains unclear exactly when discussions about pursuing an entertainment district in downtown Roanoke began.<\/p>\n
One council member told WFXR on Tuesday that the idea was conceived sometime over the summer, but the general consensus at this point is that it sparked a few months after Valmarie Turner took over as Roanoke City Manager.<\/p>\n
As for why, Mayor Joe Cobb told WFXR on Thursday that the city has been looking for creative ways to generate revenue without increasing taxes.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re limited in our ability to raise revenue,\u201d said Cobb. \u201cWe can do that through real estate property tax, through personal property tax. But outside of that, unless we think creatively, we have limited revenue streams.\u201d<\/p>\n
This idea presented that creative solution.<\/p>\n
Nestled right off Interstate-581 and in close proximity to Interstate-81, the Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport, and just a few blocks from the downtown Roanoke Amtrak station, the Berglund Center\u2019s location was a significant reason it was selected ahead of other possibilities.<\/p>\n
It also presented an opportunity to funnel additional revenue into the 50-plus-year-old Berglund Center, which Cobb says is experiencing its own \u201ccapital issues.\u201d<\/p>\n
The city was also intrigued by the prospect of adding on to an existing structure as opposed to constructing an entirely new complex in a city with limited developable land.<\/p>\n
Plans revealed at Tuesday\u2019s announcement mentioned upgrades and renovations to the special events center (where the casino would likely be located) and arena.<\/p>\n
The other thing to keep an eye on is the Berglund Center\u2019s naming rights deal, which has been extended to run through November 2025.<\/p>\n
City Council is actively reviewing the deal and reportedly accepting sponsorship applications.<\/p>\n
It remains unclear what impact the proposed entertainment district would have on the naming rights deal if ultimately developed.<\/p>\n
The proposed entertainment district would include restaurants, lodging, a parking deck, and a refurbished civic center and performing arts center, in addition to a casino.<\/p>\n
The city says it has a developer in mind regarding the casino, but \u201cis not at liberty\u201d to reveal who that is.<\/p>\n
Cobb described the district as a \u201cpublic\/private partnership,\u201d with \u201cadditional spaces for events,\u201d as the city aims to attract more people to the area.<\/p>\n
The proposal presented on Tuesday promised six percent of the first $100 million in gaming revenue generated annually for the city.<\/p>\n
The city says that money would be reinvested into neighborhoods, schools, public safety, and infrastructure.<\/p>\n
The plan also states that the entertainment district could create nearly 1,000 jobs through construction and operation. It could positively impact tourism by attracting larger acts to the Berglund Center, supporting the need for expanded rail and airport services, and providing new dining and lodging facilities.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople are already coming to this region because of the natural beauty of this place,\u201d said Cobb. \u201cWe\u2019re an outdoor destination. How cool would it be for us to continue to be an arts, culture, and entertainment destination too?\u201d<\/p>\n
There are three full-scale casinos already operating in the commonwealth: Hard Rock Bristol, River\u2019s Casino Portsmouth, and Caesar\u2019s Virginia in Danville.<\/p>\n
According to the Virginia lottery, the three have generated more than $717 million in adjusted gaming revenue year-to-date.<\/p>\n
The three host cities have received a total of $44 million in adjusted tax revenue year-to-date as a result.<\/p>\n
Cobb said Tuesday that the city is not looking at the pursuit of its own casino as an act of competition with any other nearby casinos (including Rosie\u2019s Gaming Emporium in Vinton).<\/p>\n
However, the mayor also said Thursday that the city is not currently pursuing any revenue-sharing agreements with neighboring localities.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re looking at this as the city\u2019s asset,\u201d said Cobb. \u201cAnd we certainly know there will be benefits to the region.\u201d<\/p>\n
First, the city needs a state legislator to sponsor a bill designating Roanoke as a city looking at a casino location.<\/p>\n
That bill must pass both chambers of the Virginia General Assembly, be signed by the Governor, and a casino must receive approval from the Virginia Lottery.<\/p>\n
At that point, it would be subject to a local referendum to be voted on by Roanoke City residents.<\/p>\n
At the moment, residents seem incredibly split on their feelings toward the idea.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m personally not in favor of gambling of any kind,\u201d said Jeff Krajnik, who says he\u2019s lived in Roanoke for 25 years. \u201cBut a casino, I think, would really be terrible for the city of Roanoke. I think it would just drag the whole city down.\u201d<\/p>\n
Others are more optimistic.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think that it could be very beneficial to the area financially and, to a certain extent, culturally as well,\u201d said Steve Chovanec, who clarified that he would still like to know who the developer would be before making a final judgment. \u201cI think that there is a lot of benefit to having a destination for people to be drawn to the area to visit.\u201d<\/p>\n
Long before anything gets to the local voters, the city needs to identify a sponsor for a bill, and at the moment, all three nearby lawmakers aren\u2019t playing ball.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was almost shocked that we would think that evaluating a casino for downtown Roanoke City and the implications it would mean for the city would be a good idea,\u201d said Del. Joe McNamara, the 40th district representative in the Virginia House of Delegates.<\/p>\n
\u201c[Roanoke has] lots of tough decisions to make locally,\u201d said Del. Sam Rasoul, who represents the 38th district. \u201cI\u2019ve just been against casinos in general. I think that there are better ways to invest in communities and grow our economy.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sen. David Suetterlein, fourth district representative in the Virginia State Senate, has also voiced strong opposition, asking the city not to \u201cdouble down\u201d on its 1971 decision to use eminent domain to construct the Berglund Center during \u2018urban renewal.\u2019<\/p>\n
\u201cNone of us are in favor of a casino in our town that we love and adore,\u201d said McNamara. \u201cSo, Roanoke City would have to find a legislator outside the district to carry the bill.\u201d<\/p>\n
According to Cobb, the city says it is willing to do just that, though it would prefer to work with its nearby legislators.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think for some of them, this is a philosophical difference,\u201d said Cobb. \u201cAnd I understand that. I would encourage them to think holistically, as I\u2019m inviting the public to do. A part of this is the casino, but the whole of it is an opportunity to revitalize assets for the city and to boost some of the revenue for the city, which benefits the region.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cobb said the city will present its proposal to the Virginia General Assembly at-large in search of a sponsor.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is really an opportunity for us to think big picture, and we\u2019ll be talking with legislators across the Commonwealth to help them understand that this is an opportunity to build on the fact that Roanoke is becoming one of the leading growth hubs of Virginia,\u201d said Cobb. \u201cThis is an opportunity for us to expand on that.\u201d<\/p>\n
City Manager Valmarie Turner echoed the mayor, saying in a Wednesday statement that the city is \u201cexploring possibilities and carefully considering all options.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe recognize that meaningful progress takes time and understood from the start that this process would not happen overnight,\u201d said Turner. \u201cWe are taking all feedback into account and thoughtfully evaluating the next steps to ensure the best outcome for our community.\u201d<\/p>\n
Due to the nature of the legislative process, it\u2019s difficult to say for sure.<\/p>\n
Cobb has said on multiple occasions that he would like to see a referendum on the ballot as soon as next year, while acknowledging that this could be a multi-year process.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn my own research of this process, it sometimes happens in one year,\u201d said Cobb. \u201cSometimes it takes a couple of years. So, we wanted to get this out in front of the public, to really engage in this conversation.\u201d<\/p>\n
For the time being, Cobb is asking Roanoke residents to consider the impacts this proposal could have on the city\u2019s long-term future.<\/p>\n
\u201cCelebrate the fact that we\u2019re willing to explore possibilities,\u201d he said. \u201cWe want to be a city that explores possibilities to make the quality of life better for everyone who calls Roanoke home.\u201d<\/p>\n
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