ROANOKE, Va. – Back in October, Roanoke City announced its intention to bring an entertainment center to Roanoke. This included a potential casino in the Berglund Center.
Ever since then, many locals have been speaking out about the casino, including at city council meetings.
This included Monday’s meeting, where people asked the council to spend money that could be for a casino on different avenues.
Speakers are worried that any revenue generated by a casino wouldn’t be worth it.
“Some studies show that for every dollar that a casino revenue brings into a community, it will cost that community $3 to $12 in additional expenses over long term,” Bryan Smith said.
Another worry is that a casino would promote an addictive culture within Roanoke.
“I am concerned that those who are vulnerable and those who are most prone to obsessive compulsive disorders with gambling addictions, the financial hardship, those that will suffer the most in the long run need our protection,” Smith said."
Mayor Joe Cobb says that a casino would act as an “anchor” provided by a private investor or developer to help bring in the entertainment center.
Without that anchor, it would be hard to bring in the new district.
“I don’t know that it’s possible without some kind of anchor,” Cobb said. “We need significant private investment in the city to help do that.”
Cobb says that the casino - acting as said “anchor” - would upgrade the Berglund Center and the facilities around it.
He also says that it would bring in close to 1000 workers at salaries starting at $55,000.
However, the city can’t move on a casino until it gets approval from the state.
“In order for us to move forward at all with even the consideration of a potential casino, the general assembly has to approve Roanoke as a location,” Cobb said.
In the year they get approval, citizens would get to vote on it as a referendum on that year’s November ballot.
Until then, Cobb is asking people to help come up with other ideas.
“I would encourage the people who are saying no to a casino to help us think creatively and proactively about other options,” Cobb said.
The city said back in October that it would get 6% of the first $100 million in gaming revenue, but Cobb told 10 News after Monday’s city council meeting that those numbers are based on other communities and are still considering what the overall revenue would look like.