HJ863: Commending the State Lottery Department on its 20th anniversary.
WHEREAS, in 1987 the Virginia General Assembly approved legislation for the Virginia Lottery, and after a decisive majority of the people of the Commonwealth approved the measure in the November general election in 1987, the lottery began on December 1, 1987, and Governor Gerald Baliles appointed Ken Thorson as the first director; and
WHEREAS, between January 1 and June 30, 1988, 16 employees were hired; in May 1988, the lottery moved from temporary offices in the Ninth Street Office Building to its first headquarters in the Bookbindery Building on West Broad Street, and after the relocation, additional employees were hired in sales, marketing, procurement, information technology, human resources, and other areas; and
WHEREAS, the first day of sales for the lottery began on September 20, 1988, with Match 3, the first and only Virginia Lottery game at that time, and many employees provided assistance to help pack tickets at the central warehouse after working a full day in their regular jobs; and
WHEREAS, first-day ticket sales on September 20, 1988, totaled $5.5 million, one of the best start-ups in the nation, and the record-setting pace continued as 36.2 million instant tickets were sold in the first seven days; and
WHEREAS, the lottery reached the $100 million mark on October 26, 1988, just 36 days after tickets went on sale, and Money Match, the second game, was introduced almost a month early because of the successful launch of Match 3; and
WHEREAS, since 1988, the lottery has sold $20 billion in tickets; players have won $11 billion in prizes; retailers have earned $1.1 billion in commissions; and the Commonwealth has received $6.7 billion in revenues; and
WHEREAS, since 1999, Virginia Lottery profits have been allocated exclusively for public education; profits for FY 2008 equaled $455 million; and the total given to public schools since 1999 is $3,896,329,761; and
WHEREAS, the lottery's existence has been profitable for many players and particularly for public schools, bolstering state aid to public education and learning; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend the State Lottery Department on its 20th anniversary; and, be it
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Paula I. Otto, Executive Director of the Virginia Lottery, as an expression of the General Assembly's appreciation of its support and outstanding contributions to public education in the Commonwealth.
WHEREAS, in 1987, the Virginia General Assembly approved legislation for the Virginia Lottery, and after a decisive majority of the people of the Commonwealth approved the measure in the November general election in 1987, the lottery began on December 1, 1987, and Governor Gerald Baliles appointed Ken Thorson as the first director; and
WHEREAS, between January 1 and June 30, 1988, 16 employees were hired; in May 1988, the lottery moved from temporary offices in the Ninth Street Office Building to its first headquarters in the Bookbindery Building on West Broad Street, and after the relocation, additional employees were hired in sales, marketing, procurement, information technology, human resources, and other areas; and
WHEREAS, the first day of sales for the lottery began on September 20, 1988, with Match 3, the first and only Virginia Lottery game at that time, and many employees provided assistance to help pack tickets at the central warehouse after working a full day in their regular jobs; and
WHEREAS, first-day ticket sales on September 20, 1988, totaled $5.5 million, one of the best start-ups in the nation, and the record-setting pace continued as 36.2 million instant tickets were sold in the first seven days; and
WHEREAS, the lottery reached the $100 million mark on October 26, 1988, just 36 days after tickets went on sale, and Money Match, the second game, was introduced almost a month early because of the successful launch of Match 3; and
WHEREAS, since 1988, the Lottery has sold $20 billion in tickets; players have won $11 billion in prizes; retailers have earned $1.1 billion in commissions; and the Commonwealth has received $6.7 billion in revenues; and
WHEREAS, since 1999, Virginia Lottery profits have been allocated exclusively for public education; profits for FY 2008 equaled $455 million; and the total given to public schools since 1999 is $3,896,329,761; and
WHEREAS, the lottery's existence has been profitable for many players and particularly for public schools, bolstering state aid to public education and learning; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend the Virginia Department of the Lottery on its 20th anniversary; and, be it
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Paula I. Otto, Executive Director of the Virginia Lottery, as an expression of the General Assembly's appreciation of its support and outstanding contributions to public education in the Commonwealth.