NC Residents Attempt to Halt Casino Expansion Plans

Article by : Erik Gibbs Sep 7, 2023

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North Carolina House Speaker Tim Moore claims that there is still an ongoing assessment to validate how state authorities view new gaming operations. The assessment will determine if some of these operations can open in some regions of the state.

More stated on Tuesday that Republican leaders in his chamber are unsure about the level of support to proceed with a contentious proposal to open up to four new casinos across the state.
The House Speaker talked about the process in which House Republicans convened for over three hours on Tuesday. The purpose of the meeting was to deliberate on the casino proposal and other legislative matters.

GOP leaders have outlined the proposal, calling for establishing three casinos in Rockingham, Nash and Anson counties. The Lumbee Tribe could operate a fourth.

However, Moore also stated that modifications to the initial concept have been discussed privately. The House Speaker emphasized that most of the 72-member House GOP Caucus must support the eventual proposal for it to advance.

The proposal could come in the way of two alternatives. The first is that the idea would be introduced as a standalone bill. The second proposal would allow for the inclusion of the idea in the budget that lawmakers will vote on next week.

Senate leader Phil Berger indicated that the proposal is unlikely to progress last month. To some local authorities, it is more likely that the proposal will be incorporated into the budget or not addressed during this session.

The GOP caucus meeting on Tuesday coincided with opponents of the proposal travelling from Rockingham and Nash counties. These are two of the four counties that could potentially host new casinos if the plan is enacted.

Residents from rural areas in Rockingham, Anson, and Nash counties have also expressed their opinions. Some NC locals went to Raleigh to oppose the new proposed plan.

During a press conference outside the Legislative Building, opponents of the gambling proposal expressed their concerns about the lack of public discussion surrounding any potential gambling expansion.

This proposal could find its way into the final state budget bill. The rally stood against the idea of having legal gambling operations open in the state.

In June, the General Assembly passed a law authorizing sports gambling to commence next year. Currently, the state has three casinos managed by two American Indian tribes.

The casino and entertainment district concept has garnered significant interest in Rockingham County. Berger has said that the appeal of gaming operations, such as the one that recently opened in nearby Danville, Virginia, could draw top spending across state lines.

In a move that faced opposition from many residents, Rockingham County commissioners voted unanimously last month to rezone approximately 200 acres of farmland for commercial use. The rezoning request came from a holding company associated with a casino developer.