Consultant ends contract with Petersburg over direction of casino project
PETERSBURG — A consultant hired by the city to lobby its legislative agenda, and in particular this year's casino project, has ended her contract a week before the project has its first test in the General Assembly.
Lisa Speller, CEO of The Speller Consulting Group, told The Progress-Index Thursday that philosophical differences between her and the city over the direction of the project prompted her to terminate her relationship with the city. She said the decision was hers, and she was not asked by anyone in the city to resign.
"I made the decision to end [the contract] as they were going in a different direction," Speller said. She did not say what that direction was, but she did confirm it had nothing to do with the actual casino legislation.
Contacted by The Progress-Index, Petersburg spokesperson Joanne Williams would not comment on the move, saying only that Speller "resigned."
In a statement released by a company s pokesperson, Cordish chief operating officer Zed Smith said nothing has changed in the development plans from when they were presented Dec. 13 to City Council.
“We are committed to delivering a world-class, transformative development for the city that will generate billions of dollars in tax revenues and spinoff economic development, create over 4,000 new jobs and benefits to the local community, and become a major new tourist destination," Smith said in the statement
At that meeting, Cordish presented a $1.4 billion plan that includes a mixed development of retail, office and residential space, with the Live! Hotel & Casino Virginia as its centerpiece.
Speller's background in the gaming industry was one of the key attractions Petersburg had to her. She is a former vice president of government relations and community affairs with Colonial Downs Group/Penisula Pacific, which had partnered with media company Urban One in its unsuccessful 2021 bid to build a $565 million casino and hotel in south Richmond.
Cordish also had submitted a proposal to build its casino in Richmond but lost out to Urban One.
Following that defeat, Petersburg jumped into the fray to host Virginia's fifth casino and the first in this region. That triggered the beginning of a political feud between Petersburg and Richmond that is expected to be decided in this legislative session.
Both of Petersburg's Assembly representatives are sponsoring legislation that would set a referendum in Petersburg for this November on building the casino in the Wagner Road area of southern Petersburg. The bills also keep Richmond from re-voting on its own casino referendum until after the first year of Petersburg's casino opening, which would likely be in 2026 or 2027.
Richmond already said it would vigorously oppose that legislation, as the city wants to reschedule its own referendum for November.
More:Petersburg lauds report about casino viability, uninterested in combo with Richmond site
The Senate version of the bill is set for a General Laws & Technology subcommittee hearing Wednesday, Jan. 25. It was originally scheduled for this week, but the subcommittee chairperson delayed it to Jan. 25 in order to get a larger meeting room to accommodate the expected overflow crowd.
As of Friday morning, the House version of the bill has yet to be referred to a committee, which will be the House General Laws Committee.
More:General Assembly starts Wednesday as casino battle between Petersburg, Richmond comes to a head
The contract
The Speller Group contract, which was signed last February, was due to expire Feb. 28, 2023. According to its terms, Speller would receive $10,000 a month from the city, plus be reimbursed for any expenses more than $250 and approved by the city,
It was signed on behalf of Petersburg by then-City Manager Stuart Turille Jr. on Feb. 23, 2022. Less than one month later, Turille was out as city manager after being placed on administrative leave by City Council for still-undisclosed reasons.
In July 2022, an addendum was put on the agreement for Speller to help the city find a casino developer. That led Petersburg to the agreement with Cordish. That addendum was made official last October retroactive to July 1, and signed by Turille's successor, City Manager March Altman.
The Progress-Index obtained copies of the Speller Group agreement through a Virginia Freedom of Information Act request to Petersburg.
The contract stated that Speller had the right to end the agreement at least 30 days before its expiration date.
Speller's contract with Petersburg was a topic of social-media discussion, especially about a suggestion that Speller's group got the contract because Speller was related to Ward 5 Councilor Howard Myers. Speller confirmed for The Progress-Index Friday morning that she and the councilor are not related.
She also said the decision to step aside had nothing to do with the media attention around the marital status of Morrissey, the bill's Senate patron, and his estranged wife.
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Bill Atkinson (he/him/his) is an award-winning journalist who covers breaking news, government and politics. Reach him at batkinson@progress-index.com or on Twitter at @BAtkinson_PI.
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This article originally appeared on The Progress-Index: Petersburg's chief lobbyist steps away from contract
