Winchester city officials and economic-development leaders asked the Joint Subcommittee on Gaming to consider the city as an eligible locality for a future casino-authorized convention and entertainment center, presenting feasibility work, stakeholder engagement and projected economic impacts.

Addie Lingel, chair of the Winchester Economic Development Authority, summarized a multi-session stakeholder process and two commissioned feasibility studies. She said public engagement moved many initially skeptical participants to a more favorable view after learning about likely local economic benefits and safeguards.

Projected benefits and context

- Winchester’s materials presented to the subcommittee include estimates of roughly 3,100 local jobs tied to development and operations, approximately $180,900,000 in local wages and benefits and about $640,000,000 in local economic output tied to the project’s development and ongoing activity.

- City officials said Winchester is largely landlocked (9.3 square miles) and depends heavily on property taxes—roughly 40% of revenue—and that long-term fiscal pressures mean officials are exploring new revenue and economic-development strategies.

- The city’s study group noted a catchment area of about 7.3 million adults within a two-hour drive and argued the region is underrepresented by the five currently authorized casino sites.

Community process and next steps

Winchester said it held five stakeholder sessions that included local government, education, law enforcement and nonprofit leaders, and it commissioned a quantitative economic-impact analysis. The EDA chair said 66% of participants began with an unfavorable view of gaming but that after the sessions 85% had a favorable or more nuanced view, a change Winchester officials credited to information and dialog.

Officials told the subcommittee they have not yet voted to seek a referendum or introduce local enabling actions; staff said the city will proceed with formal local processes only after the General Assembly clarifies licensure paths and once a gaming commission and regulations are in place.