Town Council Hears Gaming Proposal
By DAVID QUESENBERRY
Patriot Publishing
The Pulaski Town Council Tuesday night heard a presentation supporting the proposed Rosie’s Gaming Emporium.
Ryan Saylor addressed the Council on behalf of a citizen’s group supporting approval of the November referendum to permit pari-mutuel wagering within the town. Saylor told Council that a “yes” vote would bring new jobs, new tax revenue without raising taxes, and would bring further economic development to the Town.
“Under state law,” he said, “pari-mutuel wagering is a regulated form of gaming already operating legally in a number of Virginia communities through Churchill Downs, Inc. It’s strictly regulated and overseen by the Virginia Racing Commission. But before it can come to a new locality like Pulaski, the law requires that voters have to approve it in a referendum. The only question in front of this community, is whether Pulaski’s voters want to allow regulated pari-mutuel wagering and enjoy the benefits that come with it.”
Saylor said the first benefit to the community would be jobs. A pari-mutuel location in Pulaski is projected to bring 100 new jobs to the area. He emphasized that these would be local jobs filled by local people and would be an entertainment venue that would draw people to the Town.
“It creates a ‘tourist hot spot here in Pulaski,’” he said, “and good paying jobs for your citizens.”
The second benefit would be tax revenue that could be used to meet many priorities of the Town. Saylor said based on previous campaign materials, it is projected that the Town would realize about $1 million per year in local gaming tax revenue. These revenues, he said, could assist the Town in making public improvements and capital investments.
Using Rosie’s Gaming Emporium in Vinton as an example, Saylor said the tax revenue went directly into capital improvements. Over 80 percent of Vinton’s roads had either been re-milled or repaved since Rosie’s came to the town.
Vinton he added, has not seen an increase in crime “associated with this facility.” Rosie’s was described as “a good corporate citizen” of the community. In a broader benefit to the community, Saylor said that the revitalization of commercial space leads to increased activity in a commercial district.
Churchill Downs, owners of Rosie’s, he said, has a track record of giving back to the communities where they are located. Each Rosie’s location has a “dedicated philanthropic budget” to support community non-profits and community priorities. In other Virginia localities this has meant direct support for public schools, first responders, and a range of other community based projects.
Saylor encouraged citizens to vote “yes” to support both the referendum process and pari-mutuel wagering in the Town to support jobs, public safety, and the future.
Councilman Joel Burchett said his question was answered regarding the lack of crime at Rosie’s and that despite rumors of the facility bringing in crime, “the facts have shown otherwise.” Burchett then asked where the customer base for Rosie’s would come from. Saylor replied that the Vinton location had customers that came from all over the state and generally within an hour and a half or two hour drive. Most customers are seeking a smaller venue that also offers entertainment, such as a concert, which the Vinton location does every Friday and Saturday night. The facility also has a restaurant on site, which draws customers from all over the area. In Pulaski’s case it would have the same opportunity to draw people from as far away as West Virginia and North Carolina.
In other actions, Mayor Shannon Collins read a list of applicants for the Council vacancy. The applicants were: Joseph K. Goodman; Peter M. Huber; Brandon William Taylor Musick; Heather Yvonne Musick; Melinda Gail Musick; Jill D. Neice; Anthony Blair Smith; and Thomas Underwood. Citizens are allowed to review the candidate’s application starting the next day by contacting the Human Resource Office.
Council will be making its decision at the October 6th meeting.
Council also approved two resolutions appointing Mayor Collins to the NRV Passenger Rail Authority board and Town Manager Todd Day to the Board of the Virginia’s First Regional Industrial Authority.
Council also approved a transfer of a lot on Madison Avenue to the Pulaski Redevelopment and Housing Authority.
Council also received a financial report from Finance Director Jackie Morris. Morris briefly reviewed the highlights of the monthly report for August 2026. Covered in the monthly report was data on total utility billing; delinquent tax collection; tax sales of delinquent properties, and accounts payable among others.
Morris told Council that the final reporting for the ARPA funds, received in 2021 and 2022 from the Federal Government during COVID, had been finished and the final report and closeout documents of the program had been submitted completing the project.
Morris also reviewed fund totals for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026 all of which were favorable for the Town.
The Town’s General Fund ended the fiscal year with a surplus of $1,610,688. The Water Fund also ended with a fund surplus of $140,977. Likewise the Sewer Fund ended with a surplus of $306,487, while the Garbage Fund ended with a surplus of $71,863. Overall the budget ended the fiscal year with a total surplus of $2,130,017.
Concerning the Town’s audit, Morris said that the Finance Department had the Town’s pre-audit scheduled for the week of September 28th. The yearly audit is scheduled to begin on October 6th. She anticipated that the final audit would be ready for presentation to Council either in late December or early January.
Town Council also held three public hearing for zoning requests.
The first request was for a rezoning of the former medical facility at 2460 Lee Highway from Residential Office to B-2 Business for conversion of the facility into climate controlled self-storage units.
A second request sought a special exception for a junkyard/auto graveyard in the I-2 District at 1113 East Main Street at the site of a former auto storage facility.
The final request sought a rezoning at 1120 Lee Highway to rezone the property from Residential Office to B-2 Business District.
Council will vote on these requests at its October 6th meeting.
Pulaski Town Council will have a special called meeting at 5:30 pm, Tuesday, September 22, 2026 in the Council Chambers of the Town Municipal Building. The next regular meeting of Town Council will be at 7:00 pm, Tuesday, October 6, 2026 also in the Council Chambers of the Town Municipal Building at 42 First Street. N.W.