Winchester Council greenlights casino study

A Shenandoah Valley casino may still be years away, but Winchester officials are taking early steps to position the city for the possibility.

Winchester City Council voted 7-2 in January to pass a resolution supporting the city’s economic development authority to work with state legislators and a future Virginia gaming commission to request a feasibility review for a casino, convention and entertainment complex.

If the study has favorable results and the General Assembly authorizes a license for a Winchester casino, the city would have up to 24 months to select an operator and hold a referendum.

EDA Executive Director Jeff Buettner says the earliest a casino referendum could likely be held is 2028.

“I think it’s important, from our perspective, that before we go to referendum, we’ve identified the exact site, the amenities, the operator, so that when we’re asking people to vote, they know exactly what they’re voting on,” Buettner says.

He has argued that the city needs new revenue sources and that earlier analyses found that a standalone convention center would require substantial subsidies from city residents. Adding a casino component, however, could help make the project self-sustaining.

An EDA-commissioned study projected a casino could generate roughly $27.5 million in annual city tax revenue and about 2,400 local jobs.

Buettner says the EDA is evaluating a few potential 19- to 24-acre sites, prioritizing locations outside the downtown core and near Interstate 81. However, he declined to identify parcels while negotiations are ongoing.

Del. Bill Wiley, R-Winchester, says he would not champion a casino request in Richmond without buy-in from both Winchester officials and the Frederick County Board of Supervisors, calling it “a district matter” impacting both localities. Many constituents, particularly in the county, have moral and public safety concerns about a casino, Wiley says, and he wants more information about likely long-term impacts. If the idea advances, he believes lawmakers should consider performance standards and other guardrails to ensure promised revenues materialize.

“This is just a very complex matter, and there’s just so many variables that have to be vetted,” he says.

Winchester council members stressed that voters would ultimately decide whether a casino moves forward.

“At the end of the day, this isn’t going to be decided by nine people and a city manager,” said Councilor Chip Newcome. “It’s going to be decided by our community.”