By Peyton Majors
Christian Action League
August 18, 2023
Legislative supporters of proposed casinos in Anson, Nash and Rockingham are finding more opposition to the idea than they likely expected.
A community meeting on the issue this month at Old Carriage Road Baptist Church in Rocky Mount, N.C., drew a packed crowd of some 100 in the rural church, many of them speaking out against the construction of a casino in their community. Rocky Mount is part of Nash County.
The GOP-led North Carolina legislature has drafted legislation to include an item in the upcoming budget allowing for the construction of casinos in the three counties.
“What kind of culture do we want this place to be?” one opponent of the casino said in a meeting at the church.
Kent Dozier, who owns the land in Nash County that is the prospective casino site, told the church audience he would not have entered into a contract had he known more about the buyer. The option to buy the land expires Dec. 31, he said, adding he is “hoping and praying” the deal falls through. The land is located near Nash Community College, according to the Rocky Mount Telegram.
Robbie Davis, chairman of the Nash County Board of Commissioners said the board’s Republican majority are opposed to a casino in Nash County.
Pointing to a Boise State study, Davis added, “This study will show you that 40.6 percent of all gamblers have a problem with gambling (addiction). That’s a big number. It will also tell you that 75 percent of casino income comes from 6 percent of the population of a given area. They’re going to be the people with the most needs. They’re going to be the ones whose children are not being looked after. They’re going to be the ones that dream they’re going to hit it big and that will solve all their problems.”
Currently, the only casinos in North Carolina are owned by Native American tribes.
Len Sossamon, county manager for Anson County, told WCNC he has been assured that the casino proposal will be in the upcoming budget. Such news is upsetting for Rocky Carpenter, the pastor of Harmony Community Church in Peachland and a casino opponent. Peachland is part of Anson County.
“We just really do not need this in our beautiful county,” Carpenter told commissioners at a meeting this summer. “They’re telling us things like ‘Your property values are going to triple.’ Lie.”
Carpenter predicted that the number of DUIs will double, pointing to data from the Sands Casino area in Pennsylvania where the number of DUIs went from 274 to 488 between 2008 and 2012.
“I don’t know about you, but I am tired of burying young men before their time. I want our kids to live, I want them to have a good life here,” Carpenter said.
Casinos, the pastor added, are a predatory industry that targets the poor.
“Why do we think the poor are going to gamble more than others?” Carpenter asked. “Because the households have almost 100 percent higher rate of gambling than the general population.”
Rev. Mark Creech, executive director of the Christian Action League, said that he applauded the strong opposition to gambling expansion he was witnessing in both Anson and Nash counties.
“It shows that this legislative proposal is by no means a done deal. One poll found that 33% of Republican and Independent voters in our state support developing new commercial casinos, but 52% are opposed. Another poll found 45% of North Carolina residents support casino expansion, with 68% who are worried about an increase in addictive behavior” said Rev. Creech. “So, although some would have us believe this proposed gambling expansion can’t be stopped, it’s just not true. The fate of it remains uncertain. However, residents in the counties of Anson, Nash, and Rockingham, who are opposed to these casinos coming to their communities need to continue ratcheting up their opposition on public officials.”
