Kash Jones

Mass Comm 202

February 6th, 2019

Hopes of Casino in Bristol

BRISTOL, V.A - Local executives purchased the Bristol, VA mall with plans of redeveloping
the property into a resort and casino.

Developers of the Casino and resort plan “feel that it will have a positive change on the Bristol
community.” Jim Mcglothlin is pushing this plan forward to give the community a platform to
help the Bristol area. Mcglothlin is a business owner from Bristol. Casino developer Mcglothlin
brings focus to the economic opportunity within a casino and “bring jobs, tourism and revenue
for the city.” A casino could provide over “5,200 jobs in a seven year span.”

The privately funded casino project has money coming from Bristol area investors. With private
funds from developers, Mcglothlin does not need any government funding. Although there will
not be any need for government funding the casino project has to undergo the Legislative branch
of U.S. government to be constructed. Gambling is currently illegal in Virginia. With gambling
being illegal, it extends the process of building a casino in Bristol.

On February 4, the Virginia state senate passed a new bill that was a small step forward for the
casino and resort. The bill passed now provides “voter approval and referendums to see if the
casino resort in Bristol is wanted.” If community voters “don't approve the casino and resort then
that can be the end of the whole project.” The bill legislation put forward gives residents of
Bristol the opportunity to vote their opinion on the controversial topic of a casino.

In reality, the bill is only a small step but gives residents a chance to express how they feel about
the casino and resort process.

Community perceptions on a business like a casino and resort will vary due to peoples different
opinions. Resident of Bristol Ronan King says, “A casino and resort would help a small city like
Bristol become more financially stable.” King also says, “Although the casino will help people
financially it can possibly increase crime in the area. Some people in the community feel as if a
casino will bring a moral decline to the area of Bristol.” Bristol does not have a high rate for
crime, but a casino could make the city vulnerable for an increase in criminal activity. An
increase in crime is what makes the casino and resort such a controversial topic.

In a research study called “How casinos influence crime at the neighborhood level”, the research
study conducted by Lallen Johnson and Jerry Ratcliffe, who both hold a doctorate in
Criminology, based information from the Philadelphia Sugarhouse Casino. Data evaluation was
used date to find the effects of the casino on a city. Johnson and Ratcliffe used “four crime types
to collect data: violent street felonies, vehicle crime, residential burglary, and drug crimes.”
Johnson and Radcliffe’s research highlighted that there was “no increase in crime, but a decrease
with new casinos.”