Urban One-Backed Casino Referendum in Richmond Fails
Media firm Urban One poured about $4.3 million into the campaign to convince voters to approve the Richmond Grand Resort & Casino – a project in which it was partnered with Churchill Downs. The referendum failed by a margin of 58% to 42%. Altogether, Urban One and Churchill Downs spent $10 million promoting the project. Urban One founder and board chair Cathy Hughes recently appeared
on Gospel WPZZ-FM, Richmond to discuss the project and the referendum and lamented the amount of money they’d spent on the process, saying, “God has blessed me with enough to build the Richmond Grand. But $10 million is what the final [campaign] bill looks like. Such a waste. I am so mad at this opposition. Do you know how much good I could have done with $10 million? I had to pay the lawyers, the accountants, and the lobbyists… just to get the opportunity for you all to vote.” Casinos have already been approved in four Virginia cities, but the project was extremely controversial in Richmond.