HENRICO COUNTY, Va. β The Virginia Racing Commission is expected to decide whether to issue an operational license to the Roseshire Gaming Parlor in the Staples Mill Shopping Center,
near the corner of Staples Mill and Glenside Drive, in Henrico County.
Pending that decision and an ABC license, the Churchill Downs-owned site is slated to open later this fall with 175 historic horse racing machines and simulcast wagering.
However, Henrico County leaders are encouraging the public to show up in opposition to the facility.
County lawmakers have opposed this particular site after the company filed plans for it days before Henrico passed an ordinance requiring a public hearing for facilities like it.
By filing when they did, the company was allowed to open under a 1992 referendum where county voters approved off-track betting.
Lawmakers had tried to force a referendum through the state's budget process, but it was vetoed by Governor Glenn Youngkin.
Youngkin said he vetoed it because it set a bad precedent and because he learned county leaders wouldn't have forced a referendum if the company built at another site in the county.
Henrico State Senator Schuyler VanValkenburg says every other locality in the Commonwealth has had a referendum on allowing gambling establishments, and Henrico should be allowed the same opportunity.
"I think if you're arguing that citizens shouldn't have a say over gambling going in to their community, I think you're morally wrong, and I think you're legally wrong," VanValkenburg said.
In a statement, a spokesperson for Roseshire said the company has followed all applicable laws throughout the development process.
"As the County itself has repeatedly confirmed, Roseshire has followed every applicable law, regulation, and rule throughout the development process," the spokesperson said. "We look forward to presenting our application to the Commission and hope to receive a license that will allow us to welcome guests to Roseshire in the very near future."
This is a developing story. Email the CBS 6 Newsroom if you have additional information to share.
π²: CONNECT WITH US
Blue Sky | Facebook | Instagram | X | Threads | TikTok | YouTube
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy. To learn more about how we use AI in our newsroom, click here.
