THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, February 15, 1995 TAG: 9502150484
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY TONI WHITT, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: PORTSMOUTH LENGTH: Medium: 82 lines
Divided over whether to continue pursuing riverboat casinos, the City Council decided Tuesday to give residents the chance to say if they want floating casinos plying the Elizabeth River.
The council voted unanimously to open the debate to residents during the next regular council session, Feb. 28.
If Portsmouth residents send a clear message that they don't want the riverboats, council members said they would consider sending a resolution to the General Assembly opposing the issue.
If residents approve the idea of floating casinos, the council will continue its negotiations with Eldorado Hotel and Casino.
It took a series of motions and nearly an hour of discussion before the council decided to seek input from the public.
Vice Mayor Johnny M. Clemons had asked the council to terminate the city's negotiations with Eldorado, since the state legislature has refused to approve the gambling in its current session.
``Riverboat gambling has been taken off the General Assembly's agenda,'' Clemons said. ``I think it's imperative that we discontinue negotiations.''
Clemons, Councilman Cameron C. Pitts and Mayor Gloria O. Webb said that they didn't want to tie up the city's waterfront land waiting for gambling to ``possibly'' come to Virginia.
``We need to pin our negotiations on the bill and the language of the legislation,'' Clemons said. ``We don't need to tie up our waterfront like Newport News and Norfolk did. We need to put this to rest as the General Assembly did and deal with it next year.''
Councilman James C. Hawks said the council would be sending a message to the gaming industry that the city ``can't be trusted to negotiate fairly and honestly.''
``If we do that, we'll be watching our citizens get on boats in Newport News, Norfolk, and Hampton,'' he said.
Those cities already have signed contracts with riverboat companies to bring floating casinos to their waterfronts. Norfolk and Newport News have locked up public lands for the projects.
Hawks said City Manager V. Wayne Orton had been directed to continue discussions with Eldorado but not to ``consummate'' them.
``We are not carrying on negotiations,'' Hawks said. ``At this point, negotiations are on the shelf. There's no need to terminate negotiations at this time.''
Several council members disagreed, saying they did not remember giving Orton any such directions.
``We did it in the back room,'' Hawks said. ``Are you telling me you don't remember doing that in the back?''
Pitts and Webb denied giving any direction to Orton. ``I don't think we did that in the back room, and this back-room stuff is coming up way too often,'' Pitts said. ``This business of trying to cover up everything is becoming too often.''
Orton told the council that the negotiations have been stalled since Norfolk Del. Jerrauld C. Jones pulled from consideration in the General Assembly his bill legalizing the casinos. Orton said he was waiting for direction from the council before continuing negotiations with the casino company.
Finally, Pitts challenged council members who contend they don't believe in riverboat gambling, but also didn't want Portsmouth to be left out if gambling comes me to Virginia. ``If you don't want gambling for the state then, let's send a resolution to the General Assembly opposing riverboat gambling,'' Pitts said.
Councilmen James T. Martin and P. Ward Robinett suggested opening the discussion for public debate.
``I have a problem voting on this without any public participation,'' Martin said. ``I would not vote on this issue without having this on the agenda for public discussion.''
In the end the council voted on three motions:
The first, to continue to leave things as they are, failed 5-2. Hawks and Robinett were the only two votes for the status quo.
The second motion, to terminate negotiations with Eldorado, failed 4-3. Webb, Pitts and Clemons voted to end the negotiations.
The third vote, to ask the public for guidance, passed 7-0.
KEYWORDS: RIVERBOAT GAMBLING by CNB