During a community meeting in Richmond, Virginia, Urban ONE CEO Alfred Liggins stated the company no longer supports holding a casino referendum in November and will instead look to 2023.
Liggins stated that the state's budget language "has created a conflict, a legal conflict and a huge cloud of doubt” over efforts to hold a second vote on the casino.
Back in March, a judge told the city that the One Casino + Resort proposal could be placed on the ballot again after voters rejected it by a narrow margin in November of 2021.
The state budget amendment, led by State Senator Joe Morrissey, passed earlier this year and bars the city from holding another referendum until 2023. This is expected to give the state a chance to conduct a study on the potential benefits of launching a casino in Petersburg, Virginia.
Liggins went on to say that Urban ONE "elected to ask our partners in the city to request the court unwind the court order."
A statement shared by a spokesperson for City Hall noted that officials are "preparing to file a petition to remove the casino referendum from the November 2022 ballot."
The statement went on to say that "the city stands ready to move the proposed One Casino + Resort forward in 2023."
8News called Morrissey for comment after Urban ONE announced its desire to postpone the referendum.
Morrissey commented: "I’m glad Alfred [Liggins] realized and understood what the law is." He also stated that he expects a bill would come next year, allowing Petersburg the chance to pursue a casino license.
