After the Virginia Lottery Board on Wednesday approved an operating license for Caesars Virginia, the entertainment company announced an opening date for its temporary casino in Danville: May 15.

The 40,000-square-foot temporary casino will open at 10 a.m. that day, a Monday, and remain open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, pending the successful completion of test dates with the Virginia Lottery, Caesars Virginia said in a news release. Company officials said it will create 400 jobs.

Caesars Virginia said the temporary facility will feature 740 slot machine titles, 25 live table games such as blackjack and roulette, 28 electronic table games, self-service sports betting kiosks and a round-the-clock restaurant called Three Stacks serving “classic American fare.”

“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 the news release.

Caesars Virginia has already been working to train dozens of dealers, holding classes to teach the ins and outs of blackjack, baccarat and other games.

Caesars Virginia said construction continues on the permanent casino next door with plans to open it late next year.

The company said the $650 million permanent facility will have a 500-room hotel, a 2,500-seat theater, 40,000 square feet of meeting and convention space, a spa, restaurants, more than 1,300 slot machines, 85 live table games and more.

Caesars Virginia now is the third casino facility operator approved by the lottery board since the General Assembly passed legislation in 2020 giving the Virginia Lottery licensing and regulatory authority over casinos and sports betting.

The first such facility, HR Bristol, was approved in April 2022 and opened its temporary facility three months later. The second, Rivers Casino Portsmouth, was approved in November and opened in January.

The approval of Caesars Virginia’s license comes after “a comprehensive review of application materials submitted by Caesar’s Virginia, LLC and an extensive background investigation by the Virginia Lottery,” the lottery board said in a news release.

“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 said in the lottery board’s news release. “Those investigations include not just Caesar’s Virginia, but all the vendors and employees as well.”

 

Matt Busse

Original Article: Caesars temporary casino in Danville to open May 15 – Cardinal News