THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, February 26, 1995 TAG: 9502260060
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY TONY WHARTON, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: PORTSMOUTH LENGTH: Medium: 76 lines
The legislature has scuttled riverboat gambling for this year, at least. Portsmouth does not have a contract yet with a casino company.
So with the whole thing in limbo, the City Council is moving its proceedings to Willett Hall on Tuesday night and inviting residents to say what they think of the idea of riverboats.
What can residents expect?
Tuesday's event is not a formal public hearing, because there is no proposal to hash out. At this point, they do not even plan to take a vote on the matter during the meeting.
Are council members' minds made up? They said Friday they are willing to listen, but they are not sure what they will hear.
``I really don't have a handle on what's going to happen,'' said Councilman Cameron C. Pitts. He is against riverboats, and hopes the public sends that message Tuesday.
``I don't know what kind of clear signal we can expect to get,'' said Councilman James C. Hawks. He believes Portsmouth can not afford to let potentially big dollars go to another city. ``It's easy to be against it in principle at this point. It's not as easy to be for it.''
Many residents, even some normally active ones, are not planning to attend the hearing.
Bill Keefer is a salesman in Portsmouth. He opposes riverboats for Portsmouth, and thought the issue was dead. He is not going to the hearing, he said.
``I felt it was over with,'' Keefer said. ``I still think it should be done with, because it lost in the General Assembly. Maybe this will be the end of it.
``I have confidence in the people of Portsmouth, that if they are properly educated and informed about both sides of the issue of riverboat gambling they will make the right decision.''
``I'm not in favor of gambling,'' said Lucy M. Overton, president of the Old Truxton Community League. ``This city is going to the dogs as it is.
``But I'm not going to go against it. I'm not going to go down and speak out against it. If enough people want it, they will get it.''
That fatalism about the issue tracks closely to a national attitude of cynicism and disenchantment about citizens' power to affect government.
Yet others in Portsmouth said the city might be at a crossroads, ready to make a decision about the city's future.
``The only direction we can go in is to make this a recreational town,'' said Mary Shanks, a civic activist, who is not convinced that the recreation is gambling. ``We've got to make this a tourist town.''
``The council may want to change direction,'' Pitts said. ``It may be looking for public support for change.''
The Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce, Portsmouth division, supports riverboat gambling. The Portsmouth chairman, Roger C. Reinhold, will tell the council Tuesday why gaming makes economic sense for the city.
``The council has listened to the chamber in the past, because we take a position based on business facts in a businesslike manner, rather than based on emotions or some other reason,'' said E.A. ``Lonny'' Staylor Jr., executive director of the Portsmouth division.
But many people feel strongly about gambling, regardless of the economic facts. How does the council listen to different kinds of information?
``That's a good question. I don't know,'' said Hawks. ``On an issue as controversial as this, it's hard to balance it. But we don't really have to.''
If the legislature ever approves riverboat gambling, Hawks said, the issue will almost certainly come to a state or local referendum.
Councilman P. Ward Robinett said he will listen to everyone, but he is not ready to make a decision: ``I don't think you can have closure on an issue like that at an event like Tuesday night. What I'm willing to do is listen.''
Councilman James T. Martin Jr. said Tuesday will not come down to counting heads.
``It doesn't mean the person who packs the most people into the hall would be the winner,'' he said. by CNB