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The Virginia Lottery Board approved Caesar’s Virginia’s application on Wednesday, April 26, to become the third approved casino facility operator in the state, authorities announced.
A temporary facility will be opened up in May, with a permanent casino set to open in Danville late in 2024. The Danville Casino will be open 24 hours a day beginning at 10 a.m. on Monday, May 15 until the permanent resort is ready to welcome guests.
“This comes after a comprehensive review of application materials submitted by Caesar’s Virginia, LLC and an extensive background investigation by the Virginia Lottery,” officials said.
“We’ve received an incredible outpouring of support and cooperation to get us to this day, especially from the Danville community and the surrounding areas,” Chris Albrecht, senior vice president and general manager of Danville Casino and Caesars Virginia, said in a release.
“The opening of the Danville Casino is a monumental step forward for us, and we are excited to begin welcoming guests.”
Caesar’s will join HR Bristol and Rivers Casino Portsmouth as casino operators in Virginia, both of which received their approval from the Board last year, with the former opening a temporary facility in July, and the latter opening to the public this January.
“For months, the Lottery’s Gaming Compliance Department and legal team have conducted background investigations and examined every detail of this application,” Virginia Lottery Executive Director Kelly T. Gee added. “Those investigations include not just Caesar’s Virginia, but all the vendors and employees as well.”
In 2020, Caesars Entertainment launched a campaign for a proposed $400 million premier resort that is expected to generate more than $30 million annually in gaming tax revenue for the city.
That proposal has only grown in size and ambition since.
The resort is expected to include at least 450 hotel rooms, full-service amenities, live entertainment, convention space, bars, restaurants, and a “world-class casino gaming floor,” officials pitched at the time.
“The Virginia Lottery Board takes very seriously its statutory role overseeing casino gambling in the Commonwealth,” Board Chairman Ferhan Hamid said. “All Virginians, whether or not they use these facilities, need to be aware that they are operated and regulated responsibly.”
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