Casino Rallye News

DANVILLE, Va. (WSET) -- Defend Danville, a group of residents and owners of local businesses hosted a rally on Sunday, Oct. 25 opposing the proposed casino.

(WSET) -Defend Danville, a group of residents and owners of local businesses hosted a rally on Sunday, Oct. 25 opposing the proposed casino. The rally took place at 3 p. The news emerged following a day in which the shares of Casino and Rallye were suspended from Thursday morning until market close, heightening expectations of a restructuring at the indebted group.

The rally took place at 3 p.m. at the city's courthouse steps. Dozens gathered to hear about why the casino may not be a good idea.

Pastor Steve Chromy from Mount Hermon Baptist Church says he's against the proposed casino.

'Gambling addiction brings about suicide. It brings about espousal abuse. It brings about child abuse,' he says. 'It does not help our families.'

He grew up in Hinckley, Minnesota when a casino was newly built. While he worked with the EMS there he experienced a lot with the local casino.

'Over 50 percent of our ambulance runs were to the casino in our small town,' Chromy says.

Eric Stamps, head of the local action PAC against the casino, was also at the rally.

Casino Rallye News 2014

'When we hear the projections about how much money is going to be brought in for the casino, this is a best case scenario,' Stamps adds.

Keynote speaker, Les Bernal, Director of Stop Predatory Gambling, says he feels that this is only going to hurt people in Danville.

'It's a life-changing financial trap that's difficult to escape. State governments deliberately concentrate local casinos in economically distressed regions like Danville,' Bernal says.

On Defend Danville's website, the group says the rally, 'is for all concerned citizens to hear our concerns of the danger and truths of a regional casino. These concerns have not been considered by many of our citizens because of the massive advertising from Caesar’s.'

The group says many businesses in the city are afraid the resort and its amenities would take away from their business.

Caesars Entertainment told ABC13 that the 'entire community will benefit from the development because of the investment, business growth, and tourism the resort creates. We are grateful for Danville’s support and encourage voters to vote yes on November 3rd.”

RELATED More than 100 Danville businesses share their support of a proposed casino

If the proposal is approved by voters on November 3, Caesars Entertainment expects thousands to travel from all across the region each year.

Casino Rallye News 2014

Their hope is that they will not only spend money at the resort but also local shops and stores.