Will the Pamunkey Indian Tribe hold on to its status as the preferred developer of resort hotel-casinos in Richmond and Norfolk?

Richmond Delegate Jeff M. Bourne said that might not be the case when the final bill is written in a conference committee comprised of a small number of members of the House of Delegates and the state Senate.

A conference was ensured after both chambers passed bills with enough differences to require a conference to set the final language that could pass both houses.

Both bills as now written give preferred status to the tribe. Delegate Bourne helped that along by presenting an amendment that was approved that eliminated a preference for a potential competitor to the tribe, Pacific Entertainment, which owns Colonial Downs racetrack and the Rosie’s Gaming Emporium operations in Richmond, Hampton and Vinton that offer slot machine-style gaming.

Delegate Bourne said he was trying to ensure the two bills had identical language on preferred status, given that the casino bills would in conference.

Delegate Bourne said he would advocate for the language that grants the tribe preferred status to be softened or removed in conference.

“Like the rest of the Richmond delega- tion,” he said, “I believe the more competition, the better.”

He is advocating for a final version of the bill that would give Richmond and four other cities where casinos would be allowed discretion to choose the owner and operator that would be in their best interests, rather than having the legislature dictate the selection.