Please allow home grown outdoor in this bill. The lobbyist are trying to ruin for all the little mom and pop shops in Virginia. It’s so greedy and needs less regulation and less restrictions.

NO! Please do not allow this! Please research the negative impact of large cruise ships AND gambling!

Please support this bill.

Delegates, I am not a paid lobbyist working for a multi billion dollar corporation that is trying to secure your vote to add more profits to their bottom line. What does it take to get your vote in exchange for a few more dollars to the multi billions of dollars in the bank for the most polluting cruise line paying more than 60 million dollars in court ordered fines. Is the cover up of massive pollution the cruise tried to accomplish, the kind of business partner one would want to have for the common good of Virginia? I know that not the partner I would encourage in any work space. I have but one vote which I think I use with upmost thought and care. I urge you to prepare your vote with due diligence to protect and provide for the common good for the citizens you are representing as opposed to the more common greed of the cruise industry. Cast your vote in support of your voters, not based on the advice of paid influence peddling by hired foreign flagged cruise line personnel. Thank you for reading this testimony of fact and not false promises.

Dear Legislators, I am very concerned about cruise ship gambling. Gambling takes money right out of the taxpayers' pocket and leads to addiction for some. Also, the cruise industry has been notorious world class polluters as well. They use foreign flagged ships to avoid US federal taxes and labor laws. I truly struggle with bringing this industry to Virginia. We are fighting this industry in Yorktown and adding gambling to this mix just makes things worse. You can learn more about this industry here: PreserveYorktown.org/learn Thank you for your serious consideration of voting NO against this gambling bill and the slippery slope we would be on if Virginia encourages the large cruise ship industry that has a very bad track record with the communities they end up in. Why would Virginia want to do that? Teri Hodson 757-870-5784

I am vehemently opposed to HB1478. For decades so many of us have worked, contributed financially, and volunteered to save our precious and unique Chesapeake Bay. For decades we have contributed to the Chesapeake Bay foundation in its difficult work to coordinate efforts between Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania to clean up the bay and bring health back to its marine life. And now we shall throw away all that hard won progress for a frivolous dirty business? We don’t want to see monstrous cruise ships parked in the York River, polluting the air with the miserable bunker oil they burn and the river with the stuff they are not supposed to dump but do anyhow. The Chesapeake Bay is one of the most precious assets of our area; its presence and health is an asset in recruiting talent that can find employment anywhere - I know that from firsthand experience as a former executive looking for top talent. A healthy and clean bay makes unique recreational activities possible – I know that too firsthand as a lifelong small boat sailor. And cruise ships muck up the places they go to and leave from – and that, too, I know firsthand: as a sailor I have seen from close-up what they do to places like Ft. Lauderdale or worse yet, Key West. I can assure you: there’s no money that can compensate for that damage. It’s a disgrace that we must discuss such a project

I understand there have been NO studies done on Cruise ship gambling in Virginia and the 2019 JLARC report on Gaming in the Commonwealth does not address casino ship gambling. The words "cruise" and "ship" don't appear anywhere in the report. Before entertaining a bill such as this it may be prudent to study ship casino gaming and what effects other localities have incurred/endured. Why does this bill not require a local referendum - which is required for the other casinos in Virginia? It deprives the rights of the citizens of the localities at which these casino cruise ships will port and is totally inconsistent with the General Assembly's treatment of other casinos (requiring referendums). Why aren't the land based casinos raising this issue? How was this Senate bill introduced? I don't believe it was the citizens of York County, nor the York Board of Supervisors. Was it the citizens of Norfolk (where Carnival docks) or the Norfolk City Council? I suspect Princess orchestrated this bill in an effort to bypass our elected local representatives and the people at large. They now have 5 registered lobbyists doing their bidding in Richmond, one who is a former member of the legislature. These ships are foreign flagged and have no allegiance, or requirement, to abide to United States maritime regulations. They are also very harmful to the environment with their discharges and exhaust scrubbers. Yorktown cannot support, or sustain, the number of people Princess states will be coming ashore. The York River and Chesapeake Bay cannot continue with the water quality improvements that have been made if these ships are allowed in Yorktown. Please say NO to any funding of ocean-going cruises making Yorktown a port of call. Please say NO to ship board casino gambling.

I oppose allowing casino gambling ships in the York River. The character of Yorktown would be extremely compromised by the infrastructure such a project would require. Cruise ships are notorious for their environmental impact. Virginia tribes recently receiving the right to host casinos should not be put in competition with large cruise line conglomerates. Information has not been made widely available to the people of Yorktown and surrounding communities that care about the aesthetics , history and environment of Yorktown This should happen as soon as possible so that impacts could be discussed and so the citizens are not cut out of the process. Thank you for your consideration of my comments.

Please vote against cruise ships and gambling in the Great State of Virginia. I oppose gambling in all forms, whether they be on sea or land.

I am opposed to the passing of House Bill 1478 that would allow cruise ships to gamble in VA waters. These mega cruise ships, specifically Princess Cruise Lines, are repeat and habitual offenders of laws that protect our precious Chesapeake Bay. Princess lines was convicted of dumping toxic fuel in eastern coastal waters of the Atlantic in 2016 and while on probation had 6 more violations. They had been dumping these toxic fuels for about 20 years before being caught by a whistleblower. Town after town is having problems with over tourism and environmental concerns (google Key West and Sitka Alaska) caused by these cruise ships. Princess isn't bringing their new ships here that have better environmental controls, they are bringing their 20 plus old rust buckets that have lost power, hit piers, and damaged the environment. If you otherwise this gambling then they will swamp Virginia with these ships. The sound pollution from these giants of the sea kill marine life including dolphins, whales, and acidification of shellfish. I thought our governor wanted to keep improving the health of the Chesapeake Bay, not put it at more risk!! These cruise ships are keen to find private property on the VA Coastline that they can exploit and take control of the head taxes, ship port schedules, and other porting fees away from the local govt entities. They are building private islands in the Bahamas for that reason. Do NOT let them get a foothold here. Cruisemapper.com is a good source to see the number of accidents and other problems these ships bring to ports. Finally, gaming is a horrible addition that I am opposed to supporting. Please kill this bill in committee.

I am speaking out against this bill to allow casino gambling aboard cruise ships in the waters of Virginia. While visiting in Virginia , tourists should be encouraged to disembark for a Virginia experience as opposed to remaining on the ship with more gambling experiences.

I am opposed to HB 1478. Why make it easier for folks to lose their money these days? They have plenty of opportunities to do so without VA’s allowing casino gambling in the state’s waters. Gambling does NOT encourage responsible financial stewardship!

It has recently come to my attention that Princess Cruise Lines has registered 5 lobbyists in Virginia to promote cruise ship gambling. I think this is a terrible idea as it takes revenue right out of the taxpayers’ pocket without giving back in a significant way. Princess ships fly a foreign “flag of convenience” to avoid paying federal taxes and US labor laws. Also, the practices of the cruise industry are suspect. There is significant evidence to this fact based on reports, articles, and accounts from other port cities. Princess also has been convicted multiple times for deliberate pollution. I am also a member of a grassroots organization, Preserve Yorktown, to stop Princess cruises from coming to Yorktown, Virginia. We have garnered more that 7400 signatures on a change.org petition to Stop Princess. Our organization has been researching the cruise industry and Princess for over a year now. Please take the time to learn about the cruise industry here: preserveyorktown.org/learn . I do not believe this industry, that puts profits over people, is not right for Virginia. Thank you.

I vehemently oppose HB1478. To allow cruise ships to open casinos in Virginia waters only increases the number of large polluting cruise ships that will sail just off our coast. These ships threaten our air quality, threaten our marine life, and threaten the water quality of the bay, river, and ocean water. Please listen to the people, not to the lobbyists!

As a resident of Historic Yorktown, which Princess Cruise Lines (among others) is now attempting to colonize OVER THE OBJECTION OF YORK COUNTY CITIZENS, I adamantly oppose this bill. To encourage the presence of enormous, polluting cruise ships in Virginia waters (which allowing them to open casinos would do) is ecologically irresponsible and fiscally unnecessary. Please PROTECT OUR WATERS, AIR, and OYSTERS and OTHER MARINE ORGANISMS that live in the fragile ecosystem of the York River and its marshes and wetland; and please protect as well our significant historic sites (including underwater Revolutionary era shipwrecks and other artifacts) by defeating this bill. Well-paid lobbyists are trying to get this bill passed, but please, support democracy by hearing and respecting the voices and wishes of the people. Thank you.

Governor Youngkin touted his conservation and environmental efforts in the Chesapeake Bay by putting an additional 500 M of VA budget towards conservation funding in the Bay area. Allowing gambling in Virginia waters would be inviting large numbers of cruise ships to park and pollute in the Chesapeake Bay. Cruise ships are notorious polluters of air and water. “As Virginians, we are blessed to be surrounded by an abundance of treasured natural resources. This investment delivers on my administration's steadfast commitment to ensure our natural resources are preserved for future Virginians to enjoy. We are prioritizing funding to further advance Chesapeake Bay goals, support vulnerable communities at risk of flooding, and bolster state parks,” said Governor Glenn Youngkin. If cruise ships are allowed to come en masse and gamble in Virginia waters, Youngkin won't be able to toot his conservation horn come 2028 if he decides to run for president. Please don't let these cruise-ship-cowboys with their pockets full of gold nuggets (19B worldwide industry) and their unregulated-wild-west attitude invade and pollute our Virginia waters. Let's do as Governor Youngkin is attempting to do and protect our natural resources for future Virginians.

Please do a good job of your own due diligence about the cruise industry seeking to establish new ports of call in Virginia waterways. Cruise Lines International Association recognizes The 18 major cruise lines harm ports of call by polluting air, water, habitat, ecosystems as the larger ships, more than 200 passengers, discharge their wastes products into the environment. Virginia waterways and the Chesapeake Bay do not need this risky industry in our areas period. Do not move forward with this bill and support instead responsible boating for our State.

Comments Document

Princess cruise lines has five lobbyists looking to push casino gaming on cruise ships, because they have expansion plans in the York River and in the Chesapeake Bay. This is dangerous for our waters because Princess deliberately dumps oil and tries to cover it up. Here's a snippet about Princess, recently, from the DOJ Office of Public Affairs website: https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/princess-cruise-lines-pleads-guilty-second-revocation-probation Tuesday, January 11, 2022 "Princess Cruise Lines Ltd. (Princess) has pleaded guilty to a second violation of probation imposed as a result of its 2017 criminal conviction for environmental crimes because it failed to establish and maintain an independent internal investigative office. Under the terms of a plea agreement, Princess was ordered to pay an additional $1 million criminal fine and required to undertake remedial measures to ensure that it and its parent Carnival Cruise Lines & plc establish and maintain the independent internal investigative office known as the Incident Analysis Group (IAG). Princess was convicted and sentenced in April 2017 and fined $40 million after pleading guilty to felony charges stemming from its deliberate dumping of oil-contaminated waste from one of its vessels and intentional acts to cover it up." When cruise ships anchor, they keep their motor running to help stay stationary. They use "scrubbers" to reduce AIR pollution - by just washing the exhaust with seawater and putting it straight into the water, instead. The last thing we need is cruise ships floating in the York River and in the Chesapeake Bay. We should not give them more reason to stay by permitting floating casinos - run by a company with a dreadful environmental record. I've attached a PDF with further information on concerns about inviting cruise ships into the Bay. Thanks for your time.

I'm a resident of Historic Yorktown, I strongly oppose HB 1478 and request that you please consider the consequences the passage of this bill would have on coastal communities if cruise ships were allowed to legally gamble within the confines of Commonwealth waters. Gambling is for many a strongly addictive activity and one which I oppose for that and other reasons. I am a member of of Preserve Yorktown, https://preserveyorktown.org, a grassroots organization formed to keep huge ocean going cruise ships carrying thousands of passengers from creating a port of call in the York River at Historic Yorktown (population 258), a national historic treasure. On-board gambling just adds another reason to oppose such efforts. The insidious attempts by these multibillion dollar cruise line companies to increase their bottom line is clearly a pay to play scheme promoted by the FIVE Princess Cruise Lines lobbyists now targeting the Virginia Legislature. They have very deep pockets, and in my opinion the negatives far outweigh the financial benefits to the Commonwealth. Such activities will only keep passengers on board for longer periods, and preclude shore businesses from reaping already questionable benefits. Please do not move this bill forward. Money for the Commonwealth should be weighed against the costs to the well-being of its citizens, no matter what Princess lobbyists will promise.

This is just what we DON'T need in Virginia. We are desperately trying to stop York County's plan to bring Princess Cruise Lines to tiny Historic Yorktown, VA, and we understand all too well how aggressive and ruthless these cruise companies are in their pursuit of more profits. Yorktown has sent a loud and clear message that this community does not want Princess here (including over 7400 signatures on our Preserve Yorktown petition), and yet they double down, hiring five lobbyists to foist all-things-Princess on coastal Virginia. Make Yorktown a port-of-call (really a gateway to Williamsburg/Jamestown), but if history isn't a big enough draw, just create floating casinos so passengers don't even have to get off the ship! These cruise lines are looking for ways to put their older ships to good financial use before they're decommissioned in favor of the newer, grander vessels, and small ports such as Yorktown are easy targets. Shame on Virginia if we let Princess and other mega cruise lines expand their reach in our state - they will not stop until our coastal towns are unrecognizable and our waterways irreversibly polluted. Ports across the world are seeking ways to ban or limit large cruise ship tourism, and our state should follow suit. Oppose HB 1478!

I am disappointed to learn of the legislation proposed to allow cruise ship gaming in Virginia waters. I come from a small town on Florida's Gulf coast that allows gaming ships and the experience has not been pleasant for townspeople. Here in York County, we are already threatened by the presence of Princess cruise ships, something we learned AFTER the local board of supervisors made a deal with the state to build a pier. That is not responsible tourism and neither is cruise ship gaming. Please reject this bill.