HENRICO COUNTY, Va. — A group of Henrico residents and officials are calling on Rosie’s to pull their Staples Mill project.
It comes after officials claim Rosie’s filed the project days before a county law change that would require them to go through a more extensive approval process.
Virginia State Senator Schuyler VanValkenburg and Henrico Supervisor Dan Schmitt held a community meeting Thursday to update the public on the Rosie’s Gaming Emporium project in the Staples Mill Shopping Center.
“Circumventing the public is never welcome in Henrico County,” Schmitt said.
Schmitt said he received hundreds of concerns from people questioning how the project was happening when the Board of Supervisors didn’t vote on the project and the public didn’t get to weigh in.
Schmitt said Rosie’s got their permit days before the county changed the permitting law when it came to zoning for gaming.
He said the county began working to change the code in late spring because Rosie’s expressed interest in the Staples Mill property.
He said the county realized an old law from the 1990s was still in place where gaming could legally operate under a less strict permit.
“We made it very clear, less than 24 hours after this request, that we were going to impart a process where they could do what they needed to do," Schmitt said. "However, they would have to adhere to a public hearing, much like every other business that comes through our county that we deal with."
Schmitt claims Rosie’s was aware the county was changing the law in a matter of weeks to require public hearings and the Board of Supervisors to have the final vote on these types of uses for property.
He claims Rosie’s intentionally proceeded anyway.
“At every single turn, they navigated a pathway to avoid hearing you,” Schmitt said.
The pair plan to continue organizing events to make Rosie’s hear from the public.
VanValkenburg plans to ask the Attorney General for an opinion on the issue and bring legislation to attempt to push back at the state level.
“Just because you can do something doesn't mean you should,” said VanValkenburg.
One resident spoke out at the meeting, calling the company's actions deceptive. Another asked if anyone would protest with her in Infront of one of the company's locations, while another asked if they could make yard signs in opposition.
While no one at the meeting spoke out in favor of the project, CBS 6 did speak off-camera to some employees at a new business.
They believe their company would benefit from Rosie’s because it would bring more people to the corridor.
A spokesperson for Rosie’s did not address CBS 6’s request for comment on these concerns.
Instead, they issued the following statement: "Churchill Downs Incorporated is excited to have received the necessary approvals from Henrico County to develop a new boutique gaming concept that will allow us to create jobs, generate tax revenue, and offer exciting entertainment options.”
You can weigh in on this project by heading over to CBS 6’s social media on Facebook and Instagram. Or, email your thoughts to the CBS 6 Newsroom.
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