
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, October 18, 1994                   TAG: 9410180108
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: NORFOLK                                 LENGTH: Medium

HORSE-RACING DEFEAT BREATHES NEW LIFE INTO RIVERBOAT EFFORT

Now that attempts to bring horse racing to southeastern Virginia have failed, some area legislators have their eyes on what they claim is a bigger prize: riverboat gambling.

``The economic impact of riverboats will be over 10 times what the racetrack will do at its peak,'' said Del. Jerrauld Jones, D-Norfolk. ``This makes a racetrack look puny.''

The Virginia Racing Commission last week voted to locate the state's first thoroughbred track in New Kent County. Sites in Virginia Beach and Portsmouth were among the losers.

However, Jones hopes to bring another form of legalized gambling to eastern Virginia when the General Assembly convenes early next year. For the third consecutive year, Jones will ask lawmakers to approve riverboat gambling.

A bill died in committee last year, then made its way onto the House of Delegates floor early this year only to fall short by a narrow margin.

Riverboat gambling supporters tout the industry as a perfect fit for a maritime community hard hit by defense cutbacks and shipyard layoffs. Local officials say riverboats could mean 24,000 jobs and $123 million annually in state and local revenue.

Jones plans to introduce legislation allowing 14 floating casinos to operate on waterways in seven eastern Virginia locales.

``It's coming to Virginia,'' he said. ``It's only a question of when.''

Others are less certain about the bill's prospects in January.

``I don't think there's going to be any rush to embrace riverboats until we see how the track in New Kent proceeds,'' said Del. George Grayson, D-Williamsburg. ``We move slowly in Virginia.''

The New Kent racetrack is expected to open in January 1996.

Horsemen had threatened to keep riverboats out of southeastern Virginia if the racing commission awarded the track to applicants in Portsmouth or Virginia Beach.

But even if riverboats navigate successfully through the General Assembly, the measure faces other obstacles. Sponsors want to skip a statewide vote, instead requiring local referendums where the riverboats would operate.

That likely would occur no sooner than November 1995, and some lawmakers already are concerned that Virginia is not moving fast enough.

``What worries me is ... we will be surrounded by states that have riverboats, and we won't have a seat at the table,'' said House Speaker Thomas Moss, D-Norfolk.

Riverboat gambling has been approved in Iowa, Illinois, Mississippi, Louisiana, Missouri and Indiana. Several other states are poised to consider similar legislation, including North Carolina, Maryland and West Virginia.

by CNB