Casino: Petersburg Town Hall in 14 Photos; Affordable Housing in Virginia
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Petersburg Town Hall on Casino Packed
All photos 📸 by Paulette Shipman-Singleton
SIX POTENTIAL CASINO OPERATORS VIE FOR CASINO PROJECT. Two potential casino operators, Rush Street and Cordish, have Black ownership involvement. NFL legend and Virginia Beach resident Bruce Smith is partnered with Cordish, based in Baltimore, and says he would be a co-developer on the casino resort project in Petersburg. Tim Drehkoff presented for Rush Street, which is based in Chicago,
Smith emphasized local community connections and buy in for any project that Cordish may produce.
“The Petersburg ownership team, which makes up 50% minority equity participation, will become the largest minority ownership opportunity in the gaming and hospitality industry in the country, and will become a model for other projects in Virginia and throughout the nation. The team includes substantial investment from prominent minority businesses and individuals with a long history of residing, working, and investing in the Commonwealth including former Cox Communications GM and philanthropist Gary McCollum, former Philadelphia Eagle and University of Virginia All-American receiver Billy McMullen, and the Reynolds Family, founding family of Reynolds Metals,” the presentational for Cordish relayed.
During the question and answer period after the presentations, a few citizens expressed concerns around transparency regarding the process of who is selected. The Petersburg City Council will select which developer will be awarded the project.
Chesley: Lack of Affordable Housing Hinders Security Among Virginians
By Roger Chesley for Virginia Mercury 🏠 Frank Hruska, executive director of Habitat for Humanity for South Hampton Roads, faces persistent problems trying to build modest homes for low- and middle-income families. Inflation has boosted the cost of housing construction. Plus, vacant, usable land has become more expensive over the years.
“We are in a perfect storm right now,” Hruska told me.
I interviewed him after his Habitat chapter announced it was postponing the application process because it hadn’t been able to acquire land for the 2025-26 building season. Applications had been scheduled to open May 1.
He said vacant lots in his region were selling for $30,000 to $35,000 in 2018. Yet they averaged $75,000 last year, Hruska said, even though the lots were about the same size and sat in school divisions with the same reputation for quality.
Hruska’s challenge isn’t unique. Other Habitat affiliates in Virginia have also postponed the application process, some for the first time in decades. Studies and statements by the General Assembly’s watchdog agency, the federal government and others speak of the longstanding problem to secure affordable housing, especially by Americans who aren’t rich.
“Land prices increased 60% from 2012-2019, and the cost of homes more than doubled from 1998 to 2021,” reported the U.S. Government Accountability Office. READ ENTIRE
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