Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, February 15, 1994                   TAG: 9402150122
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B-3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: BONNIE V. WINSTON STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RICHMOND                                LENGTH: Medium

IS MICKEY UP A RIVER WITHOUT A STEAMBOAT?

Answer: Steamboat Willie.

That Walt Disney's premier character would debut on a riverboat was the joke of the day Monday in the House of Delegates.

But there are few laughs, or even smiles here, when it comes to the modern-day link between Disney and riverboat gambling.

As the House prepared for critical votes today on riverboat gambling and the proposed Disney's America theme park, the main question Monday seemed to be whether either can survive without the other.

Disney supporters claimed to have 43 firm votes for Gov. George Allen's $142 million state aid package for Disney; riverboat backers said they have about that many for floating casinos. So each group was looking to the other for help.

House Speaker Thomas Moss, the most powerful supporter of floating casinos, appeared intent on keeping the issues linked by pressing for back-to-back votes on them today. One of his allies, Del. William Robinson of Norfolk, suggested that all eight of the House's black members would oppose Disney unless Northern Virginia backers of the theme park support riverboats.

The black delegates all come from Hampton Roads or Richmond, where riverboats would be expected to operate.

Meanwhile, Allen, who has staked his prestige on approval of aid to Disney, released a letter signaling his willingness to sign riverboat legislation. The missive never mentioned Disney but seemed calculated to woo riverboat supporters to get behind him on the theme park.

While some lawmakers argue that both measures - dubbed economic development bills by their proponents - should be considered on their merits, there was little talk of merit amid Monday's vote trading.

"It's going to be a tough day" today, Robinson said. "People are working as we speak to convince [others] . . . And it doesn't have anything to do with the merits."

Allen's letter on riverboats tied his support to provisions that the final decisions be left to voters. The gaming bill, sponsored by Del. Jerrauld Jones, D-Norfolk, calls for a statewide referendum and local votes in cities and counties where the boats would be moored.

Del. Robert Harris, R-Fairfax, to whom Allen addressed the letter, said the governor may sway some Republican "fence sitters" to back riverboat gambling. And he said it may be more persuasive to some Northern Virginia Republicans than any threat from Hampton Roads legislators to oppose state aid to Disney.

"My perception is that one-third of the Northern Virginia delegation doesn't give a damn about Disney," Harris said.

Harris said he supports riverboat gambling because of its potential to create 24,000 new jobs and generate $123 million annually in revenue for the state.

Robinson, who as head of the Legislative Black Caucus joined Jones in a private meeting Monday morning with the governor, said he told Allen that the caucus would "do everything we can to derail Disney" unless Allen backed riverboat gambling and Disney officials clarified their commitment to minority participation in the park.

After Allen's letter was released later in the day, Robinson said the governor had done his part. But Disney officials have more questions to answer about the 19,000 new jobs they say the park will create and "what they are prepared to do to ensure" minority participation in the project, he said.

Keywords:
GENERAL ASSEMBLY