Southwest Virginia commission rejects Bristol’s request for larger share of casino tax revenue

The Southwest Virginia Regional Improvement Commission has voted against a proposal that would have increased the share of casino gambling tax revenue allocated to the City of Bristol, Virginia. 

The decision maintains the current distribution model, under which revenues are split evenly among 14 recipients across 12 counties and two cities in the region.

At present, each recipient receives more than $900,000 annually from gaming tax proceeds linked to casino operations in Southwest Virginia. 

Bristol’s proposal sought to allocate the city five shares – approximately 27% of the total – on the basis that it hosts the casino and bears higher infrastructure and operational costs as a result.

Bristol Vice Mayor Neal Osborne argued that additional funding is necessary to support public services and infrastructure linked to hosting the casino, while also easing the tax burden on local residents. He noted that other casino host cities in Virginia, including Danville and Portsmouth, retain 100% of their local gaming revenues and do not participate in regional revenue-sharing arrangements.

Opposition to the proposal centred on the regional nature of the casino project. Scott County Administrator Josh Wilson said the existing 14-way split reflects the cooperative approach that helped bring casino development to the area. He added that counties such as Scott County rely on their share of the funds to support essential services, including emergency response, law enforcement and fire departments.

Wilson and other commission members argued that redistributing funds more heavily toward Bristol would reduce the broader regional impact of gaming revenues. They emphasised that the casino was approved and developed as a regional economic initiative rather than a city-specific project.

The commission is scheduled to meet again on 14 January, when a final decision on the matter is expected. Unless revised, the vote indicates that the current revenue-sharing structure will remain in place for the foreseeable future.