Henrico County has taken a bold step by challenging the Virginia Racing Commission (VRC) in court over what it claims is an “unlawful” approval of the new Roseshire Gaming Parlor. Filed on November 12, the county’s petition contends that the VRC acted beyond its jurisdiction when it granted the license for the gaming facility. According to the petition, the decision was based on outdated laws that no longer apply. Governor Glenn Youngkin had earlier vetoed a state budget provision that would have mandated a public referendum before any new gaming venue could open, underscoring the high-stakes nature of this conflict.
The controversy dates back to September when the VRC granted a unanimous vote in favor of Roseshire, despite strong resistance from county officials and local residents during the review process. The parlor opened its doors on September 29 in the Staples Mill Shopping Center, featuring 175 historical horse racing (HHR) machines. These machines function similarly to slot machines, which has led Henrico County to argue that the VRC leaned on an inappropriate legal basis to grant the license. The commission justified its decision using a 1992 referendum that permitted pari-mutuel wagering, but Henrico contends this referendum is no longer valid
The controversy dates back to September when the VRC granted an unanimous vote in favor of Roseshire, despite strong resistance from county officials and local residents during the review process. The parlor opened its doors on September 29 in the Staples Mill Shopping Center, featuring 175 historical horse racing (HHR) machines. These machines function similarly to slot machines, which has led Henrico County to argue that the VRC leaned on an inappropriate legal basis to grant the license. The commission justified its decision using a 1992 referendum that permitted pari-mutuel wagering, but Henrico contends this referendum is no longer valid since the definition of pari-mutuel wagering was only extended to include HHR machines in 2018. As the petition argues, at the time of the original referendum, such machines didn’t even exist and would have been illegal under the laws then.
The county’s legal action doesn’t stop at just challenging the VRC’s overstep; it also targets Churchill Downs, Inc., Roseshire’s parent company. According to the petition, the gaming giant has shown a lack of transparency and broken promises, especially when its subsidiary announced plans for Roseshire just days before new local ordinances would have required public input. This move, according to County Manager
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