Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, February 10, 1994 TAG: 9402100139
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium
The House General Laws Committee voted 12-10 to send the bill to the House floor, where supporters expect another fight. Last year, the bill died in committee.
"This was a big step toward final passage," said House Speaker Thomas Moss, D-Norfolk.
Moss told the committee that Virginia needs to jump aboard riverboat gambling before neighboring states approve the floating casinos.
"We're not going to stop it. It's here and we might as well get our fair share," Moss said.
The bill's sponsor, Del. Jerrauld Jones, D-Norfolk, had proposed that local referendums be held before the riverboats could be placed in a community. But the committee amended the bill with Jones' support to require a statewide referendum as well.
The bill allows the riverboats only in communities east of Interstate 95. Promoters already have announced plans for riverboat gambling in Richmond and Hampton Roads if the bill becomes law.
The committee also amended the bill to require that a portion of riverboat gambling tax revenues go to poor school districts and a defense conversion fund. An effort to set aside some revenues for Northern Virginia roads was defeated.
Opponents included ministers, tourism officials and supporters of horse racing.
Jack Knapp, executive director of the Virginia Assembly of Independent Baptists, warned that riverboats would attract prostitutes, bad-check writers and other criminals.
"This is casino gambling, the worst form of gambling there is," Knapp said.
"You always hear stories of the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. But this is part of some Faustian bargain I'd not be inclined to enter," said Del. Clifton "Chip" Woodrum, D-Roanoke.
Tourist attraction operators raised concern about losing visitors to the casinos. Those seeking to build the state's first pari-mutuel horse racing track said their attendance would be hurt as well.
"If this bill passes, we will not have a racetrack in Virginia," said Bill Thomas, a lobbyist for race track applicants. "I don't think this is the right time to pull the plug on racing.
"We're going to start working the [House] floor. It could go either way," Thomas said.
But supporters said the casinos would create jobs in Hampton Roads, which has been hit hard by defense cutbacks.
"The future of our industry is simply in your hands," said John Roper, president of Norfolk Shipbuilding and Drydock Co. He said his shipyard has experienced a 40 percent decline in its defense work and could use contracts to build riverboats.
Keywords:
GENERAL ASSEMBLY 1994
by CNB