Roanoke’s quest for a casino is unfolding in a different way than any of the other Virginia cities that have been authorized to have casinos.
In each of those six other communities (Petersburg replaced Richmond, so only five are currently authorized), local legislators backed the proposal.
In Roanoke, all three legislators representing the city are opposed, as are other regional legislators who would otherwise be natural allies. Some of these legislators are not simply opposed — they are adamantly opposed. “I am completely and totally opposed to a casino coming to Roanoke and I will oppose it viscerally and vehemently with every fiber of my being,” state Sen. Chris Head, R-Botetourt County, has said. “I will work with everything I’ve got to make sure this doesn’t happen.”
In those other six cities, the casino was preceded by a state study and often local studies. In Danville, there were a total of three studies…