AP photo

AP photo

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) – Off-track betting may soon be coming to the Richmond area.  The Richmond Times Dispatch reports that  the Virginia Equine Alliance recently won approval from the Virginia Racing Commission to open a satellite wagering facility in Henrico County. The alliance says it also hopes to open an off-track betting site as part of a planned brewpub in downtown Richmond. The facilities would be the first to operate in the state since Colonial Downs closed its track and off-site betting sites in 2014. Debbie Easter is president of the equine alliance, which will operate the new sites. She says they could bring in $5 million or more per year in gross revenue. The alliance hopes that will revive the industry in the state.