Reaction came fast when the Cabell County Commission unanimously voted to put the issue of a casino at the Fredrick's Hotel on the November ballot.
"I don't support gambling at all," Pastor Jeremiah Warren, of Fellowship Baptist Church in Barboursville, said. "It's bad. I'm sorry that we are getting to this place. I'm sorrowed to hear that they voted that way. I'm sorry that we have to continue to fight for the moral compass of our nation. Gambling is the wrong way to go."
Warren's comments were echoed by Travis Huffman of Huntington. "First we had the lottery, then video gaming. Now the gambling interests want a casino. What's next, the Delta Queen at Riverfront Park? The people that run Cabell County need to learn that economic development is the key to growth, not a quick fix held in a hand of cards."
"Not in my back yard," said Drema Spencer, of Huntington. "If they want to gamble, they can go to the dog track, or hitch a flight to Vegas. There are enough options to gambling."
But others see the casino as less of a problem.
"Let's stop the hysteria," Michael Belton, of Guyandotte, said. "This isn't going to be a walk-in casino. They only people that will be allowed to gamble will be registered guests at the hotel. This isn't going to be Vegas where you will see people on the first and 15th spending their welfare checks at the slot machines."
"If people want to gamble, they will gamble," David Patterson, of Wayne, said. "A lot of gamblers leave West Virginia to do it. Atlantic City and Las Vegas make a ton of money off gambling tourists. We could use a share of that money coming here."
"I'm in favor of anything that brings more tourism to West Virginia," Tadd Carson, of Lavalette added. "More tourism means more jobs, more flights at the airport that we all benefit from, more money for the local economy. If people are against gambling, they can vote against it in November. Or they can refrain from gambling."
Tri-State Airport Director Larry Salyers said even the approval of a single casino would increase the amount of people visiting Huntington. "If this was eventually approved, I'm sure it would increase traffic. As to the extent of how much it would increase, counting charters, our passengers would probably triple."
Traditionally, law enforcement agencies have been against casinos because of the crime they see associated with gambling. Huntington Police Chief Gene Bumgardner was in a meeting and unavailable for comment. Cabell County Sheriff Kim Wolfe is out of town until next week and was unavailable for comment.