Hampton wants to join Virginia Casino Cities
The sixth spot for potential casino projects could come in Hampton, and the city will be pushing hard to join Richmond, Danville, Bristol, Norfolk and Portsmouth as potential casino cities.
Hamptons seeks casino license
Hampton doesn't want to miss the casino bonanza that has taken over five cities in Virginia, namely Richmond, Danville, Bristol, Norfolk i Portsmouth . In fact, Hampton has no intention of missing out on the legalization of casinos and has already submitted an application to be considered sixth potential location to operate casinos, with the support of the company Two Capitols Consulting .
Hampton exercised due diligence in determining that the three casinos located in Hampton Roads should be sustainable and have a positive economic impact on the region. In fact, city officials are hoping to get approval for a casino license during the session of the General Assembly under the end of this year.
Mayor Donnie Tuck is one of those advocates who see the benefits of joining other cities in hosting casinos. The initiative to host a casino is part of a number of legislative proposals, and Hampton has already successfully applied for a gaming and betting license.
Emporium Rosie and the oversaturation of the market
W January 2019 r. Hampton Town Council has agreed to Rosie's Gaming Emporium, a hybrid venue that allows for off-track betting and dining experiences and is the closest thing to a casino the city has seen.
The property spans 40,000 square feet and is located in the space previously occupied by NASCAR Sports Grille and Luckie's Dueling Pianos as well as a brand new building. Rosie's Emporium opened its doors in November 2019, bringing with it game fever.
The arrival of Rosie's Emporium was a harbinger of the city's appetite for casino gaming development. In November 2019. Mayor Tuck said Hampton should host at least one casino because of Hampton's unique position as a regional hub.
Tuck confirmed that the additional revenue would be in line with the city's ambitions to spur economic development projects, which are still being identified. However, not everyone liked the massive construction of casinos.
Professor of Economics at Old Dominion University Bob McNab said that while casinos can attract plenty of tourists, they can just as easily drain revenue from local businesses. McNab expects the gambling market to become oversaturated:
"If you have casinos in Hampton Roads, Portsmouth and now probably Danville and horse racing in Richmond and casinos in Maryland, the casinos get pretty crowded.
- Old Dominion University economics professor, Bob McNab
For the casinos in Hampton and elsewhere to be sustainable, Virginia will have to work to attract huge crowds from out of state to make it all work. Otherwise, the gambling places will end up in a war of attrition with each other.
