Virginia
Neighbors weigh pros and cons as Petersburg vies for shot at Virginia’s 5th casino
PETERSBURG, Va — While Richmonders made it clear they don’t want a casino, a gambling destination somewhere in Central Virginia may have just shifted about 20 miles south.
Petersburg now wants an official shot at becoming Virginia’s fifth city to host a casino, causing mixed reaction from people CBS 6 spoke to in Old Towne on Friday.
“I feel like it would’ve been a great idea,” said Rondell Harris.
“I’m really against it,” said Tina Richardson.
This week, the Petersburg City Council adopted legislative priorities for the upcoming General Assembly session which included requesting approval to hold a casino referendum by 2025.
In a presentation by City Manager March Altman, he pointed to Petersburg’s status as a distressed locality in need of economic relief.
“This venture could offer residents employment opportunities that surpass the current median household income of roughly $44,000 per year and individual income of about $26,000 per year. It is estimated that as many as 1,800 direct jobs could be created annually, along with up to 1,000 construction jobs,” the presentation stated.
City spokesperson Joanne Williams said in a statement that a casino referendum, which would allow citizens to vote on an “entertainment center, hotel, restaurants, and retail” in addition to gambling, is a “top priority” in 2024.
“With a vote of approval by citizens, this entertainment complex will provide a much-needed economic boost to Petersburg’s flat tax base,” Williams said.
Richardson, a lifelong Petersburg resident, said she’s been thinking about the pros and cons of a casino in her city ever since Richmond voted against a casino the first time around in 2021 and Petersburg officials advocated for a chance to host one instead.
“We need to get the crime down first,” Richardson said.
Richardson said while she understands the city is in need of economic enhancement, she cited potential public safety concerns and said she disagreed that a casino referendum should be a prioritized issue.
“I think it’d be more dangerous, because we have too much going on right now as far as robbery and killing,” Richardson said. “I mean, we need to focus on the kids, because we don’t have anything here for the children.”
Meanwhile Harris, who was visiting a barber shop in Old Towne Friday, supported the efforts, citing “more job opportunities, more ways for people to make money.”
Harris lives in Richmond and was disappointed when more than 60% of Richmond voters, for a second time, rejected Urban One and Churchill Down’s $562 million dollar casino proposal, which was heavily endorsed and promoted by city leaders, in the 2023 referendum.
But he said he would still hop on I-95 for a quick trip down to Petersburg if citizens there approve a gambling destination.
“For the people in Richmond, just come down to Petersburg. It’s not that far,” Harris said. “It looks very antique-ish over here, so a new casino would liven the place up.”
A 2022 study by the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission found that a casino in Petersburg would generate $12 million in gaming revenue annually for the city. Altman’s presentation said that revenue would be in addition to local taxes from real estate, sales, lodging, and meals.
In 2022, Petersburg selected the Cordish Group to develop a $1.4 billion dollar casino destination, located off the Wagner Road Exit of I-95, even before the city ever got approval from the state to hold a referendum.
With approval from state lawmakers, voters in Petersburg would ultimately have the final say.
The casino was one of six legislative priorities approved by the city. Other issues include infrastructure upgrades, completing the Appomattox River Trail, replacing the Oakhill Bridge, requesting more funding for public safety, and independent governance for Richard Bland College separate from the College of William and Mary.
Depend on CBS 6 News and WTVR.com for in-depth coverage of this important local story. Anyone with more information can email newstips@wtvr.com to send a tip.
Virginia
2026 RB Kory Amachree discusses offer from West Virginia
Haslett (Mi.) 2026 running back Kory Amachree hadn’t spoken with West Virginia prior to making contact with running backs coach Chad Scott.
And that conversation led to a scholarship offer.
Amachree, 6-foot-0, 205-pounds, added the offer from the Mountaineers following a good discussion with Scott who let him know that his skill set was impressive on the field.
“He liked how explosive I am, and he liked how I am a dual threat,” he said.
Amachree was naturally excited to add West Virginia to an offer list that includes Michigan State, Arizona State, Wisconsin, Purdue, Pittsburgh, Northwestern and Cincinnati, among others.
“I am happy they offered me since they are a great school,” he said.
The Rivals.com three-star prospect is coming off a season here he had 1,500 yards and 19 touchdowns and is being targeted at the running back position due to his athleticism and versatility.
The plan is for Amachree to take a visit to Morgantown in order to get a more up close look at what the football program has to offer, and he also plans to visit UCLA, USC, Indiana and Northwestern.
There is no timeline for when a potential decision could come but he is looking for a school that’s going to provide the right environment.
“What’s important to me in a school is a family-like bond,” he said.
Virginia
Snowstorm bears down on Virginia, will hit Petersburg, Tri-Cities hardest late Friday
Nashville snow time lapse: Watch as snow falls in downtown
In this time lapse, snow showers pass through downtown Nashville as a winter storm blows through Middle Tennessee Friday, Jan. 10, 2025
PETERSBURG – Winter is coming. Again.
A massive winter storm encompassing a large swath of the central and southern U.S. should be arriving here sometime after 7 p.m. Friday. Precipitation is expected to be light but steady until around 11 p.m. That is when the snowfall will pick up, and we will see most of the anticipated 4-6 inches that the National Weather Service office in Wakefield expects for us.
Snow will start to taper off after dawn Saturday and should be out of here completely by Saturday afternoon.
NWS said snow began falling around 5 p.m. in far southwestern Virginia.
Getting ready
Around the area, state and local officials prepped for the storm’s arrival. In Petersburg, a city statement said the main roads through town were treated in advance Friday. Petersburg’s first-responders and public-works department will be on duty all through the storm to keep the scene as safe as possible.
The city also issued the typical advisory for citizens to stay off the roads as much as possible, and travel only if necessary.
“With less traffic, road crews can better cover the streets,” the statement read. “Residents are also asked to use off-street parking when available.”
Central, southern Virginia expected to feel brunt
Unlike last weekend’s storm that dumped as much as a foot of snow on northern Virginia, this weekend’s storm appears to be targeting central and southern Virginia.
The dividing line between 3-4 inches of snow and 4-6 inches of snow is between Richmond and Petersburg, maps from NWS indicate. The further north you go, the less accumulation you can expect.
Snow bands stretch from Louisa County to the Virginia-North Carolina line. The largest of those bands extends from Farmville through Petersburg and on up to Accomac on the Eastern Shore.
Projected totals fall off a bit as you move toward Tidewater and down into North Carolina.
If you must drive, the Virginia Department of Transportation recommends checking 511Virginia first, either online or through the app.
This is a developing story.
Virginia
Virginia Tech Football: Where do Hokies Finish in Final ACC Power Rankings?
Just a few months ago, before the 2024 season ever officially kicked off, Virginia Tech seemed like a program that was trending up. They finished the 2023 season strong and were returning a ton of starters from that team and seemingly had a favorable schedule in front of them. They were talked about as the dark horse to win the ACC and make the college football playoff, but it wasn’t long before that was proven to be false.
The Hokies started the season with an upset loss to Vanderbilt, lost to Rutgers a few weeks later, and had the controversial loss to Miami to drop them to 2-3. After rallying to win three straight to get to 5-3 and still have a shot at the ACC Championship, the Hokies collapsed, losing four of their last five, including the bowl game to Minnesota last Friday. Not only was this season very disappointing, but the Hokies are losing most of their contributors from this team to the transfer portal or the draft. RB Bhayshul Tuten, OL Xavier Chaplin, Braelin Moore, and several members of the secondary. They are working to fill those holes in the portal and quarterback Kyron Drones is coming back, but there is not as much optimism heading into this offseason as there was for last season
While all eyes might be on moving forward to the 2025 season, where did Virginia Tech finish in the final ACC Power Rankings From 247Sports analyst Grant Hughes?
“Bowl Result: Lost Duke’s Mayo Bowl to Minnesota, 24-10
“Virginia Tech entered the 2024 season with ACC championship aspirations but failed to live up to expectations after dropping three of its first five games. A 1-4 finish to the campaign secured the Hokies’ fourth losing season in the last five years. The good news is that starting quarterback Kyron Drones is returning for the 2025 season, and the Hokies have already replaced star running back Bhayshul Tuten via the portal with former top-100 recruit and Tennessee transfer Cameron Seldon.”
All of that has led to speculation about head coach Brent Pry being on the hot seat going into 2025. Pry has gone 3-8, 7-6, and 6-7 in his three seasons in Blacksburg. Earlier this week, ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg listed Pry as a coach on the hot seat going into 2025 and listed him in the “Don’t backslide” category alongside Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman, Florida’s Billy Napier, and Cal’s Justin Wilcox:
“The hot-seat talk bubbled up around Pry in November, and if the Commonwealth Cup had gone differently, Virginia Tech could have had a decision to make after a disappointing fall. Pry’s second consecutive 6-6 regular season got him to a bowl game, but he will enter Year 4 with a new defensive coordinator and a staff that will include former longtime Hokies DC Bud Foster as an advisor/analyst.
Pry is halfway through his contract and Virginia Tech isn’t in the best position to eat a seven-figure buyout. Virginia Tech should be more competitive in a very winnable ACC, especially with quarterback Kyron Drones back. The Hokies have eclipsed seven wins just once since 2017.”
Will Pry need to improve upon his record in 2025 to be ensured of another season in Blacksburg? Virginia Tech opens the season against South Carolina in Atlanta and the Gamecocks are likely going to start the season with a lofty ranking. They also face Miami, Georgia Tech, Florida State, and Louisville next season, but it is not a murderers row of a schedule. Needless to say, the Hokies need to see some progress next season.
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