Paving the way for the construction of a Las Vegas-style casino resort Rockingham, North Carolina, county officials have unanimously given their approval to a rezoning request. The Rockingham County Board of Commissioners’ approval to the rezoning request will allow an undefined commercial casino to operate on a nearly 192 acres of land along US Route 220, north of Carefree Lane in Stokesdale – a small town in North Carolina’s Guilford County with a small part in Rockingham County.

It is worth noting here that a few weeks ago, some media outlets reported that casino operator Cordish Companies entered into a tentative procurement agreement with a Rockingham landowner for the patch of land, which is located just north of Camp Carefree – a free summer camp for kids suffering from disabilities and chronic diseases.

According to real estate listings, the acquisition of the rural property in Rockingham is still “pending,” with a price tag of $5.5 million. Other details remain scarce.

Meanwhile, local and state leaders of the Republican Party, including Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger (R-Rockingham), don’t want to leave any stone unturned to convince lawmakers to grant legal commercial casinos in three counties of the state.

Berger expressed a strong belief that putting an end to the state’s prohibition on commercial gambling will help a lot in keeping gaming money and tax dollars within the boundaries of the state. Currently, a large number of gambling enthusiasts are crossing the border to enjoy gambling at casinos in the bordering state of Virginia. The rural area, which is expected to be rezoned sooner than later, has been targeted for commercial development to boost economic activities for more than twenty-five years.

Speaking on the topic, Commissioner Charlie Hall said, “We’ve had land-use plans since 1998, with that corridor designated as a business corridor. As such, we’ve been transmitting that to the public, to property owners, to potential investors to say if you want to look to put a business here, then look favorably in this area.”

Baltimore, Maryland-headquartered Cordish is the entity behind the NC Development Holdings, which is said to be the potential buyer of the rural property in question. In Maryland and Pennsylvania, Cordish operates Live-branded gambling-friendly properties. It is also making its presence felt in a number of entertainment districts in several other states of the U.S.