Virginia Casinos: Construction, Opening Dates | 2024 Updates

In 2019 the Virginia General Assembly approved legislation to allow voters in five cities to decide whether the state should license a casino in their city. In Nov. 2020 voters approved casinos in Bristol (Hard Rock), Danville (Caesars VA), Norfolk (Name Pending) and Portsmouth (Rivers).

Virginia's fifth casino license was allocated for Richmond; however, Richmond voters rejected a casino in 2021 and again in 2023. That license will be transferred to Petersburg (Live! VA) if approved by city voters in November.

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When will Virginia Casinos Open?

Virginia casino licenses have been issued in four of the five cities with voter approvals. The Portsmouth casino became the first Virginia casino when it opened in January 2023. The casinos in Bristol and Danville opened in 2Q 2024, and the Norfolk casino will open in late 2025. The Richmond casino license was rejected by voters and is expected to be reassigned to Petersburg in late 2024.

Danville
Caesars Virginia opened an interim casino on May 15, 2023. The permanent casino opens December 12, 2024. Caesars Virginia is a partnership with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.

Bristol
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino became the first state-licensed casino in Virginia when the Lottery Board awarded an operators license on April 27, 2022. Hard Rock Bristol opened a temporary casino on July 8, 2022. The permanent Hard Rock Bristol opened Nov.14, 2024.

Norfolk
Norfolk Casino is a new plan from a new partnership of the Pamunkey Indian Tribe and Boyd Gaming. The long-delayed HeadWaters Resort & Casino project has been replaced with a new, smaller casino and hotel, which begin construction in January 2025 and opens Sept. 2027. A temporary casino will open by mid-October 2025.

Petersburg
Live! Casino & Hotel Virginia
On Nov. 5, 2024, Petersburg voters approved a $1.4 billion casino hotel proposal to be built 25 miles south of Richmond. The first phase of the casino opens 2026..

Portsmouth
Rivers Casino Portsmouth became the first permanent casino to open in Virginia, when it opened Jan. 23, 2023.

Tribal Ownership

Three of the four Virginia casinos are owned by Native American tribes. All three casinos are licensed by the state as commercial casinos. There are no federally-approved Indian gaming casinos in Virginia.

BRISTOL: Hard Rock Hotel & Casino is owned by Hard Rock International, a business of the Seminole Tribe of Florida

DANVILLE: Caesars Virginia is owned by a partnership between Caesars Entertainment and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians

NORFOLK: Norfold Casino is owned by the Pamunkey Indian Tribe in partnership with Boyd Gaming.

Other Casino Proposals

Richmond
Richmond voters have rejected ballot measures in 2021 and 2023, that would have allowed a casino. The most recent voter rejection was Nov. 7, 2023, when the proposed Richmond Grand Resort Casino was defeated. The Richmond casino license was reallocated to Petersburg in 2024.

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News Headlines

Caesars Virginia is Now Accepting Hotel Reservations November 16, 2024 - As Caesars Virginia prepares to open its new casino next month in Danville, it is also preparing to receive guests at its new four-star hotel. The hotel will ... Read more Hard Rock Bristol | Grand Opening Today! Nov. 14, 2024 November 14, 2024 - Grand opening festivities at the permanent Hard Rock casino in Bristol are scheduled to kick off today before noon. Hard Rock executives and Bristol city officials ... Read more Hard Rock Casino Bristol adds Faith Hill's 1960 Corvette November 13, 2024 - Two days before its big grand opening, Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Bristol added an iconic 1960 red Corvette to its memorabilia collection. The Corvette belongs to ... Read more Bristol Casino is permanently closed November 12, 2024 - Bristol Casino, the Future Home of Hard Rock, was closed Monday in preparation for the grand opening of Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Bristol. Personnel and equipment will ... Read more Caesars Virginia's Dec. 12th Opening | Resident Reactions November 11, 2024 - After Caesars Virginia's announcement last Thursday that Dec. 12 will be its grand opening date, Danville residents expressed their excitement about ... Read more Caesars Virginia is opening Dec. 12, 2024 noon November 8, 2024 - In a press release yesterday, Caesars Virginia announced its grand opening will be on Thursday, Dec. 12, 2024 at noon. Additional details will be announced ... Read more Petersburg VA casino approved by voters! November 6, 2024 - Voters in Petersburg, Virginia approved a ballot measure yesterday to authorize a $1.4 billion Live! Casino & Hotel Virginia located off Interstate 95 at Wagner Rd. along ... Read more Norfolk Casino Holds Groundbreaking Today! Oct. 30, 2024 October 30, 2024 - Finally! The groundbreaking for the Norfolk casino was held today! The Pamunkey Indian Tribe and their new partner, Boyd Gaming, are planning to introduce ... Read more Headlines continued...

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Virginia Licensed Casinos

Virginia gambling legislation allows one casino in each of five cities: Danville, Bristol, Portsmouth, Norfolk and Richmond.

Richmond residents rejected their casino in both the 2021 and 2023 elections. Voters in the other four cities approved their casinos on Nov. 3, 2020.

Petersburg is seeking the Richmond casino license and residents will vote in November 2024 on whether to approve a casino.

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BRISTOL, VIRGINIA
HARD ROCK CASINO BRISTOL
This $550 million casino is under construction at the site of the former Bristol Mall. A temporary casino, named Bristol Casino - Future Home of Hard Rock, opened on July 8, 2022 and will operate 24/7 until the permanent Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Bristol opens in the summer of 2024. See Details

DANVILLE, VIRGINIA
CAESARS VIRGINIA
Caesars Entertainment and Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians are building a $750 million casino resort in Danville at the former site of Dan River Mills' Schoolfield Division. A temporary casino opened May 15, 2023. The permanent casino will open in late 2024. See Details

NORFOLK, VIRGINIA
NORFOLK CASINO
The Pamunkey Indian Tribe plans to build a $500M casino and hotel on the Norfolk waterfront next to the minor league baseball stadium. This project nearly failed but has be saveded by a new partnership with Boyd Gaming and a new plan to meet state and city requirements. See Details

PETERSBURG, VIRGINIA
LIVE! CASINO & HOTEL VIRGINIA
Casino License Pending
Voters in Petersburg will decide in November 2024 whether to approve a $1.4 billion casino and hotel proposal. See Details

PORTSMOUTH, VIRGINIA
RIVERS CASINO PORTSMOUTH
The Portsmouth casino opened Jan. 23, 2023. This $340 million casino is three miles southwest of downtown along the Elizabeth River near the marina. A future hotel is planned. See Details

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Virginia's Casino Legalization

This brief video summarized the story of how casinos were legalized in Virginia.

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Bristol Hard Rock Hotel and Casino - Courtesy of Bristol Herald Courier, Feb 12, 2021. Available from YouTube

Five cities have been authorized by legislation to host casinos. Four cities have approved a casino referendum - Bristol, Danville, Norfolk and Portsmouth. These four casino are entering a development stage in early 2021.The fifth casino designated for Richmond will follow by one year.

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Virginia's Casino Gaming Laws

In March 2019 a new casino gaming law was passed by the state general assembly and signed by the governor. In the Nov. 2020 election voters approved construction of casinos in the four cities of Bristol, Danville, Norfolk and Portsmouth.

"Casino Gaming"
Virginia law defines casino gaming as follows:

"... baccarat, blackjack, twenty-one, poker, craps, dice, slot machines, sports betting, roulette wheels, Klondike tables, punchboards, faro layouts, keno layouts, numbers tickets, push cards, jar tickets, pull tabs, online gaming, and any other activity that is authorized by the Board as a wagering game or device under Chapter 41 (§ 58.1-4100 et seq.).

Source: http://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?191+ful+SB1126ER

Minimum Gambling Age

Minimum gambling ages are 21 years old for casinos, 18 for poker, 18 for bingo, 21 for sports betting, 18 for horse racing, 18 for the lottery.

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News Articles

Northern Virginia Casino Pursuit in 2024

January 2, 2024

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Gaming proponents size up the odds of a Northern Virginia casino - Courtesy of WFXR NEWS, Dec 28, 2023. Available from YouTube

Virginia Sen. David Marsden is preparing to introduce 2024 legislation to allow Fairfax County to hold a referendum for voters to authorize a casino. Similar legislation died in the General Assembly last year. This year Marsden is expanding his casino proposal to include a convention center, a hotel, and a concert center.

The location of the casino is not specified in Marsden's bill, although Marsden prefers Tysons Corner. The bill will allow Fairfax County to select the location. It can be any site near a Silver Line Metro station, including Reston.

Five cities were authorized to build casinos by the Virginia General Assembly in 2019. Four cities approved local referendums to build casinos. However, Richmond voters rejected their casino for the second time last November. The General Assembly could reassign the fifth casino to Fairfax County if voters there approve a casino.

In the meantime, the City of Petersburg will also seek reassignment of the Richmond license. Peterbrg is working with The Cordish Group on a $1.4 billion casino hotel proposal. (See Peterburg casino proposal)

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Virginia Lottery Board sends casino regulations to Gov. Northam for signature

July 23, 2021

The Virginia Lottery Board has approved state casino regulations and sent the package to Gov. Northam for his signature. After sign-off the regulations will enter a public comment period followed by a final approval vote by the board.

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Casino Update: Virginia lottery board approves casino regulations - Courtesy of 13News Now, Jul 22, 2021. Available from YouTube

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When will Virginia Casinos Open?

May 29, 2021

In 2019 the Virginia General Assembly approved legislation authorizing five cities to decide whether to accept or reject a state-licensed casino. Here is the casino status for each of these five cities and the steps needed to complete before opening.

APPROVAL
Bristol, Danville, Norfolk and Portsmouth held casino referendums in Nov 2020 and all four casinos were approved by local voters. Richmond waited until 2021 to begin the selection process to present a casino plan to voters in this Nov 2021 election.

LICENSING
The Virginia Lottery will accept and review each application submitted for a casino license. The process will include extensive vetting of every operator, employee and vendor with gaming access inside the casinos. A review board within the agency has started the casino application process. Virginia Lottery Executive Director Kevin Hall says the first licenses are not expected to be issued before April 2022.

CONSTRUCTION
All construction is on hold due to the lengthy licensing process. Construction is expected to start after April 2022. The average construction period will be 18 months.

OPENING
Director Hall said "Casino gaming probably won't be available in any city in Virginia any earlier than spring or summer of next year." Accordingly, the casino projects in Bristol, Danville, Norfolk and Portsmouth have predicted the following opening dates are expected:

Bristol, Virginia
HARD ROCK CASINO BRISTOL
The $400M Hard Rock Casino project in Bristol previously announced plans to open a temporary gaming facility on July 8, 2022 and complete the construction of the permanent casino in Summer 2023. See Casino Details

Danville, Virginia
CAESARS VIRGINIA
Caesars Entertainment predicts the $400 million casino resort project in Danville will open in fourth quarter of 2023. See Casino Details

Norfolk, Virginia
HEADWATERS RESORT & CASINO
The Pamunkey Indian Tribe expects the $700M HeadWater Resort & Casino on the Norfolk waterfront will be fully open in 2023. See Casino Details

Portmouth, Virginia
RIVERS CASINO PORTSMOUTH
A spokesman for the $300 million Rivers Casino Portsmouth said the casino could open as soon as fall 2022 depending on the licensing process of the Virginia Lottery. See Casino Details

Richmond, Virginia
ONE CASINO + RESORT
The ONE Casino + Resort proposal is dead after Richmond voters rejected the casino referendum in the Nov. 2021 election. See Casino Details

Updated Dec 11, 2021

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Virginia Lottery Board Approves Casino Regulations

February 13, 2021

Last week the Virginia State Lottery Board approved its initial set of casino regulations to govern state-approved casino gambling operations. The provisions include slot machine payout percentages, distribution of fees and taxes, gambling policies and security.

The state-licensed casinos in Norfolk, Portsmouth, Bristol, Danville and potentially Richmond will be subject to the following regulations. This is a partial list of the key provisions.

FEES AND TAXES

• Each casino will pay the state a one-time $15 million licensing fee good for 10 years.

• Each casino will pay the Virginia Lottery a $50,000 fee for background investigations of casino officials and investors.

• Gross gaming revenues will be taxed on a graduated scale of 18-30 percent and paid to the Virginia Gaming Proceeds Fund.

• Most of the Gaming Proceed Funds will be allocated to the local governments in cities with casinos. One percent will go to the Virginia Indigenous People's Trust Fund, 0.8 percent to the Problem Gambling Treatment and Support Fund, and 0.2 percent ftor the Family and Children's Trust Fund.

GAMBLING

• The minimum age of 21 is required to enter a casino.

• Each casino must develop and advertise a responsible gambling program.

• Casinos cannot extend credit to gamblers.

• Wagering cannot be conducted in cash. Gamblers must wager with tokens, chips, or electronic cards purchased from the casino.

• Slot machine wagers can range from a penny to $500.

• Slot machine payouts must average between 89 and 94 percent.

• Table game wager limits are $5 to $50,000.

SECURITY

• Each casino must have a minimum of 1,000 square feet of office space adjacent to the gaming floor for the purpose of security and surveillance.

The above features are some of the preliminary regulations approved by the Lottery Board. The board will publish a full set of casino regulations upon completion.

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Virginia Sports Betting began Jan 1

January 7, 2021

January 1st was the beginning date for legalized sports betting in Virginia. The first online sportsbooks are expected to launch later this month just in time for Super Bowl LV on February 7th.

Last July the Virginia General Assembly authorized the Virginia Lottery to license and oversee all sportsbook operations in the state. A maximum of 12 licenses is authorized, and nearly two dozen applications have been received. It is expected that four licenses will be issued to the recent voter-approved casinos: Caesars Virginia in Danville, Hard Rock Casino in Bristol, Pamunkey Tribe's Resort & Casino in Norfolk and Rivers Casino in Portsmouth. The other eight will likely be issued to established operators such as DraftKings, FanDuel, BetRivers, and others. One may be held for the future Richmond Casino.

Sports betting in Virginia is expected to generate $400 million in annual revenues. The state will collect 15% of the revenue as taxes.

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Timeline for opening new Virginia Casinos

November 29, 2020

The Virginia Lottery Board has begun the long process towards licensing and opening the first Vegas-style casinos in Virginia. Those casinos will be Hard Rock Casino Bristol in Bristol, Caesars Virginia in Danville, Norfolk Casino in Norfolk and Rivers Casino Portsmouth in Portsmouth.

Here is the expected timeline from today until the first casinos open:

November 2020
Virginia Lottery attorneys have begun preparing casino gaming regulations soon after November 3 when Bristol, Danville, Norfolk, and Portsmouth approved casino referendums for their cities.

February 2021
The Virginia Lottery Board will see a draft version of the regulations in February 2021. A final version is expected to be approved by April 2021.

April 2021
Kevin Hall, Executive Director of the Virginia Lottery, anticipates "to begin accepting the first casino applications shortly after the initial regs take effect in April." All casino applicants will undergo an extensive criminal and financial background investigation that could take up to a year.

Spring-Summer 2021
The first casino operator licenses will be issued in the spring or summer of 2022.

Spring 2022
The first new casinos are expected to open in Virginia.

Temporary Casinos
Hard Rock Bristol proposed a temporary casino while its main casino is under construction, however, this is unlikely because a temporary casino follows the same licensing provisions and procedures as a permanent casino.

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Virginia voters approve casinos in four cities

November 5, 2020

Local voters in Bristol, Danville, Norfolk and Portsmouth approved local referendums to build casinos in their respective cities. Votes were 2 to 1 in favor of these casinos.

Bristol Casino
HARD ROCK CASINO BRISTOL
This $400 million casino and hotel project that will be built on the site of the former Bristol Mall. The plan includes a 90,000-square-foot casino, a live concert venue, and a 600-1000 room hotel.

Danville Casino
CAESARS VIRGINIA
This $400 million casino and hotel project will be built at the former site of Dan River Mills' Schoolfield Division. It includes a casino, restaurants, 2,500-seat live entertainment center, conference space, and a 300-room hotel with spa.

Norfolk Casino
HEADWATERS RESORT & CASINO
The Pamunkey Indian Tribe plans a $500 milliion casino and hotel on the Norfolk waterfront next to the minor league baseball stadium. The project includes a casino with 3,000 slot machines, 150 table games and a 300-room hotel.

Portsmouth Casino
RIVERS CASINO PORTSMOUTH
This $300 million casino and hotel project will be built on the Elizabeth River near the marina on property of the former Holiday Inn. It features 400,000 square feet of gaming and entertainment including a 3,000-seat entertainment center and a 4-star hotel.

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VA Govenor amends and returns casino bill to legislature

April 12, 2020

Governor Ralph Northam supports the expansion of gaming in Virginia, however, he did not sign the gaming bill sent to him by the legislature. Instead he amended the bill and returned it to the legislature to reconsider.

The key provision amended by the governor was the distribution of gaming revenues received by the state. Instead of designating the income to the Virginia General Fund as prescribed in the bill, the governor wants two-thirds sent to state education programs.

The General Assembly will now reconvene on the issue to complete the bill. If the governor's changes are approved, the bill becomes law. If rejected or no action is taken, the governor will make the final decision by either signing or vetoing the bill.

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Virginia moves to legalize casinos, sports betting

March 13, 2020

This week the Virginia General Assembly gave its final approvals to a major expansion in state gambling by passing two bills to legalize casinos and sports betting.

SPORTS BETTING BILL

Online sports betting will be legalized for professional sports and college sports excluding Virginia schools. These may become available by end of year.

Permits to operate a sports betting website or app will be limited to 12. This limit does not apply to the casinos or major sport teams in Virginia. Professional teams like the Washington Redskins and others based in the state can also build brick-and-mortar sportsbooks in Virginia-based stadiums.

Sports betting will not be included in the "skill games" betting machines that are widely available in convenience stores, truck stops and restaurants.

CASINO BILL

Casinos will be built in Bristol, Danville, Richmond, Norfolk and Portsmouth if approved by local voters. Referendums on each casino and its location will be held later this year.

Pamunkey Indian Tribe plan to build casinos in Richmond and Norfolk.

"After centuries of disenfranchisement and social injustices, the Pamunkey Tribe is on the verge of ensuring the long-term success of the Tribe. Its plans to build two resorts with casinos will allow the Tribe to provide needed programs and services to its members. It will be a great partner for Norfolk and Richmond."

Pamunkey spokesman Jay Smith

NEXT STEP

Both bills are noW waiting for Gov. Ralph Northam's for signature.

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Virginia governor remains noncommittal on casino legislation

January 17, 2020

Gov. Ralph Northam said he is open to the idea of casino legalization in Virginia, but has not taken a position on Bill SB1126, which must be reenacted by both the House and the Senate in this session. If passed, the governor will make the final decision on whether to sign the legislation into law and legalize casino gambling in the state.

Bill SB1126 was introduced in the 2019 legislative session. It has been amended by both houses and must be reenacted in the 2020 Session of the General Assembly.

The bill will authorize casino gambling in a limited number of cities. The Virginia Lottery Board will license and regulate the casinos. City residents must vote to approve these casinos.

For a full summary of the bill and its amendments, visit SB 1126 Lottery Board; regulation of casino gaming, penalties, report.

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2020 Preview: Virginia Casino Legalization?

January 7, 2020

One of the hot topics for the Virginia legislature in 2020 will be casino gambling. Virginia is currently one of nine states that prohibit casinos.

In March 2019 a casino law was passed by the state general assembly and signed by the governor that will give local voters an opportunity this year to approve or disapprove casinos in five proposed cities: Bristol, Danville, Richmond, Norfolk and Portsmouth.

The legislature also directed a study by the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) to determine the impact of casinos on these communities. The results of the JLARC's report were these:

• Casinos would generate $260 million a year in new state gaming taxes.

• Casinos would create 5,000 new jobs.

• A northern Virginia casino would generate an additional $155 million in state gaming taxes, and create an additional 3,200 jobs.

The Virginia general assembly is caonsidering bill SB1126 in the 2020 session for the next step towards the legalization of casinos. If passed and if residents approve a local casino referendum later this year, the first Virginia casino will open after 12-18 months of construction.

For details on the cities with current casino proposals, read these pages:

• Pamunkey Casino and Hotel - Norfolk

• Hard Rock Casino Bristol

• Danville Casino

• Portsmouth Casino

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Virginia Gov Signs Casino Gambling Bill

March 26, 2019

Governor Ralph Northam signed Senate Bill 1126 into law Friday in an essential step toward authorizing casino gambling in Virginia. The bill had passed the Senate 30-10 and the House 64-33.

The new law is not the final authorization needed to build casinos. The final authorization can only be granted by voters in a November 2020 referendum ballot.

There are additional steps defined between now and the referendum that will be the responsibility of the Lottery Board. This law authorizes the Lottery Board to regulate all casino gaming and provides a framework for the Board to follow in drafting its policies, rules and procedures.

SB 1126 SUMMARY: "Lottery Board; regulation of casino gaming, penalties"

• Casino gaming will be regulated by the Virginia Lottery Board.

• Casino gaming will only operate in five cities: Bristol, Danville, Portsmouth, Richmond and Norfolk.

• City residents must approve the casino by referendum.

• The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) will research casino gaming laws in other states and submit a report before December 1, 2019.

• Referenda must be held after the JLARC report and before January 1, 2021.

• After the Lottery Board drafts its gaming regulations, the 2020 Session of the General Assembly must re-enact the bill.

• The Lottery Board cannot issue casino licenses prior to July 1, 2020.

Casino Gaming, Sports Betting and Online Gambling

This law specifies the following definition of casino gaming, which implies the legalization of sports betting and online gambling.

"Casino gaming" means baccarat, blackjack, twenty-one, poker, craps, dice, slot machines, sports betting, roulette wheels, Klondike tables, punchboards, faro layouts, keno layouts, numbers tickets, push cards, jar tickets, pull tabs, online gaming, and any other activity that is authorized by the Board as a wagering game or device under Chapter 41 (§ 58.1-4100 et seq.).

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Virginia General Assembly Passes Casino Bill

February 24, 2019

The General Assembly voted today to legalize casino gambling in Virginia and grant regulation authority to the Virginia Lottery Board.

The bill passed the Senate 30-10 and the House 64-33. To become law it requires the signature of the governor and a voter referendum to authorize an amendment to the state constitution.

Under the provisions of the bill the Virginia Lottery Board would develop rules and regulations for casino gambling and procedures for licensing casino applicants. The regulations must be completed and approved before June 30, 2020. Casino licenses will be issued after July 1, 2020.

The bill specifies five cities where casinos can be built: Bristol, Danville, Portsmouth and either Norfolk or Richmond. Residents must vote to approve or disapprove the casino planned for their city. Referenda must be passed before Jan. 1, 2021.

The state would tax each casino 13 to 15 percent of the annual adjusted gross revenue.

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First Virginia Casino Bill Passes Senate Committee

Danville, Bristol, Portsmouth, Norfolk and Richmond Selected for Casinos

January 21, 2019

The Senate Committee on General Laws and Technology voted 9-3-1 to pass Senate Bill 1126, the first major step taken to legalize casinos in Virginia.

The bill allows five cities to hold referendums this fall to determine whether voter approve or disapprove of casino projects in their cities. The five cities are Danville, Bristol, Portsmouth, Norfolk and Richmond. Casino licenses would be issued beginning July 1, 2020.

The Pamunkey Indian Tribe can apply for a federally approved casino but has announced its interest in pursuing a commercial casino license with the state. "... we believe that if the Commonwealth is ready to authorize gaming, our project should be part of it," said Robert Gray, Pamunkey Indian Tribe Chief. Possible sites for the Pamunkey casino are Norfolk and Richmond.

Under the term of the Bill, the state would receive 10% of gross revenues from each licensed casino. Half would go to cities where casinos are located and the remainder would stay with the state for public school construction and the general fund.

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Virginia tribes celebrate federal recognition

October 05, 2018

On Wednesday a celebration was held by members of seven Virginia Indian tribes over the federal government granting formal recognition.

Representatives and officials from the Nation Park Service, Virginia governor's office, senate offices, and Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke, U.S. Rep. Rob Wittman were in attendance.

The federal recognition allows the tribes to apply for federal services and funding.

For decades these tribes have attempted to obtain their federal recognition. They include the Chickahominy, Chickahominy Eastern Division, Rappahannock, Pamunkey, Nansemond, Upper Mattaponi, and the Monacan tribes.

The first Virginia tribe to receive federal recognition was the Pamunkey Tribe in January 2016. The tribe has plans to develop a $700 million casino on land approved by the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

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A politician from Virginia is pushing for a Portsmouth casino

August 26, 2012

A bill has been submitted by Sen. Louise Lucas. It will be available for the next session of the General Assembly. The decision behind the new gaming bill was related to a visit to Maryland. The senator was impressed by the success of their two month old casino. Maryland earns 67 percent of the gaming revenue.

Portsmouth is the proposed area for the new casino. She believes that area would help retain casino goers from going to another state to gamble.

Currently the state is having a difficult time finding ways to raise funds for the various programs. Residents of the state are against highway tolls and raising taxes. Lucas believes that casino gaming may be a solution to help pay for education and infrastructure.

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News Headlines Continued

2024

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Read more Norfolk casino will celebrate groundbreaking on Oct. 30 October 16, 2024 - Yesterday, the Pamunkey Tribe and its new partner, Boyd Gaming, announced the groundbreaking date for the Norfolk casino will be Wednesday, October 30 at 11 AM. ... Read more Bristol Hard Rock Casino opens Nov. 14 October 10, 2024 - The grand opening celebration for the new Bristol Hard Rock Hotel & Casino is scheduled to begin at noon on Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024. The event will kick off with ... Read more Norfolk Casino Gets Final Approval October 8, 2024 - The City Council of Norfolk, Virginia met tonight and granted final approval for construction of the Norfolk Casino. The council voted 7-1 to approve the design of a $500 million casino ... Read more Caesars Virginia Nears Completion October 3, 2024 - Danville city officials say the construction of the new $750 million Caesars Virginia is on schedule to open before the end of this year. City Manager Ken Larking says, "I've been told that they will be open in ... Read more Petersburg VA Casino: Vote Now! September 21, 2024 - Virginia's early voting began yesterday and gives Petersburg residents their first chance to vote on a local casino referendum. Approval of the measure will allow ... Read more Norfolk Casino plan heads for final approval September 27, 2024 - Norfolk's Planning Commission has approved the Norfolk casino development plan as proposed by the Pamunkey Indian Tribe and its new partner, Boyd Gaming ... Read more Hard Rock Casino Bristol is Hiring 700+ before Grand Opening Nov. 2024 September 6, 2024 - Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Bristol hosted a three-day hiring event earlier this week to hiring more staff before the new casino and hotel ... Read more Norfolk Casino | New Partner! New Plans! September 4, 2024 - A shocking change in the stalled Norfolk casino project may be emerging. The Norfolk City Council will meet on Sept. 10 to vote on replacing the current casino developer ... Read more Norfolk Casino moves forward with Architectural Review Board approval September 25, 2024 - The latest plans for building the Norfolk casino project were approved by the Architectural Review Board on Monday by a 6-1 vote ... Read more Norfolk City Council approves revised casino plan September 11, 2024 - After years of delays the Norfolk City Council took major action last night to move the Norfolk casino project closer to construction. The council voted 7-1 to approve ... Read more Norfolk Casino | September 2024 Updates September 18, 2024 - Additional information about the new Norfolk Casino agreement with the City of Norfolk was disclosed yesterday. The topics include amtrack support, the city land sale for the casino ... Read more "Norfolk casino project WILL be built," Pamunkey Chief September 13, 2024 - Pamunkey Indian Tribe Chief Robert Gray told news media Wednesday he has "absolute confidence" the long-delayed Norfolk casino will finally be built ... Read more Norfolk Casino | Next Step September 9, 2024 - The Norfolk City Council will meet tomorrow evening to decide whether to accept the latest casino plan from the Pamunkey Indian Tribe and Boyd Gaming Corp. The city council's decision includes selling ... Read more Caesars Virginia Holds Hiring Event | August 13 Update August 13, 2024 - Caesar's Virginia held a major hiring event from 10am - 2pm EDT today in Browns Summit, NC. The casino needs to hire 650 more workers before its grand opening ... Read more Caesars Virginia Construction Update | August 2024 August 2, 2024 - The cost of building Caesars Virginia has almost doubled since the project began in 2020. The original estimate of $400 million has grown to over $750 milliona ... Read more Norfolk Casino no longer named 'Headwaters Resort & Casino' August 20, 2024 - Did the Norfolk casino project just drop its Headwaters Resort & Casino name? It certainly appeared that way during Monday's meeting of the Norfolk Architectural ... Read more Norfolk Casino | New Plans in Review August 19, 2024 - Norfolk's Architectural Review Board (ARB) met today to review revised plans for building the HeadWaters Resort & Casino on city-owned land adjacent to Harbor Park ... Read more Norfolk Casino Project Releases New Design Renderings August 16, 2024 - The Norfolk casino project has returned from its near-dead and almost-forgotten self with a new release of artist renderings to be presented to the city ARB ... Read more Caesars Virginia's Hiring Event | Browns Summit, NC July 30, 2024 - Caesar's Virginia will hire 900 people before its grand opening later this year. In August a hiring event is planned for Browns Summit, NC, located 35 miles south of Danville ... Read more Petersburg casino proposal approved for voter referendum July 17, 2024 - Residents of Petersburg, Virginia will have a casino referendum on their ballot in the November election. Voters will make the final decision on whether to approve plans ... Read more Fairfax County Casino Bill Will Return in 2025 July 6, 2024 - A 2024 Fairfax County casino bill is expected to be reintroduced in the 2025 Virginia legislative session that will authorize a casino in Tysons, or a alternative location near any ... Read more Bristol Casino had second-best revenue month in May 2024 June 22, 2024 - What does this mean? Did this May income impact the decision to delay the opening of the new Hard Rock Casino until late Fall? Bristol Casino is the temporary ... Read more Caesars Virginia Construction Update | July 2024 July 10, 2024 - Caesars official say the $750 million casino resort under construction in Danville is on-schedule for completion late this year. The deadline is December 31, 2024 per an agreement ... Read more Hard Rock Casino Bristol Postpones Grand Opening June 8, 2024 - Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Bristol has postponed the grand opening of its new, permanent casino until late fall. The casino was scheduled to open in July and followed ... Read more Caesars Virginia Construction Update | June 2024 June 3, 2024 - Construction of Caesars Virginia must be completed before Dec. 31, 2024 according to the development agreement between Caesars and the City of Danville. No specific date ... Read more Danville Casino Celebrates First Anniversary May 22, 2024 - Danville Casino has been a financial success for Caesars Virginia and the City of Danville. The temporary casino opened May 15, 2023 and will continue operating until ... Read more Caesars Virginia changes approved by Danville City Council May 14, 2024 - The construction costs for Caesars Virginia in Danville have risen from an initial estimate of $400 million in 2020 to over $750 million today. As a result, some changes. ... Read more Petersburg City Council selects casino developer April 29, 2024 - In an abrupt move Wednesday, the Petersburg City Council made the final selection of a casino operator for the voter referendum expected this November. The council chose the ... Read more Norfolk Casino's Future? | April 2024 Update April 6, 2024 - As delay after delay continues with the Headwaters Resort and Casino project, is it finally time for Norfolk city officials to move on to a new casino developer? It has been over three years ... Read more Hard Rock Bristol on-schedule for July opening February 13, 2024 - The future Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Bristol is on-schedule to open its casino in July. The hotel will open before the end of the year with 300 rooms. The date has not been set ... Read more Petersburg VA: Five Casino Proposals April 19, 2024 - Five proposals for a Petersburg casino resort were presented in a town hall meeting Sunday at the Petersburg Public Library. The city council will choose one of the proposals for a voter referendum ... Read more Petersburg Casino Bill Passes in Virginia House February 10, 2023 - The Virginia House of Delegates passed the Petersburg casino bill Tuesday by a vote of 49-44. The bill would allow Petersburg voters to accept or reject a casino proposal to build a $1.4 billion complex ... Read more Danville Casino and Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians April 3, 2024 - Caesars Virginia is a partnership between the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) and Caesars Entertainment. The two partners share ownership, and Caesars manages the ... Read more Caesars Virginia reduces planned hotel size February 8, 2024 - Construction of Caesars casino and hotel in Danville, Virginia will be completed late this year. Due to higher costs, Danville City Manager Ken Larking says the size of the hotel has been reduced to ... Read more Petersburg Casino Proposal Moves Ahead April 10, 2024 - The Richmond City casino allocation was officially rescinded last week by new legislation signed by Gov. Glenn Youngkin. The Governor also amended the Petersburg casino bill to qualify ... Read more Petersburg Casino Bill Clears Virginia Assembly March 13, 2024 - Before the Virginia legislative session ended last week, the House of Delegates and the Senate passed a bill authorizing a casino resort in the City of Petersburg. The bill, however, is not... Read more Tysons Casino Bill Dead This Year February 5, 2024 - A Virginia Senate bill to authorize a casino in Fairfax County with voter approval was stopped in subcommittee last week. The Senate Subcommittee on Resources voted 4-0 to postpone further action until ... Read more Norfolk's HeadWaters Casino Delayed Again January 27, 2024 - The developers of the HeadWaters Resort & Casino project met again with the Norfolk Architectural Review Board last week to review the final building plans for the casino hotel project ... Read more Petersburg Casino Bill Approved by Virginia Senate February 10, 2024 - The Virginia Senate approved a casino bill Wednesday to allow the City of Petersburg to hold a referendum for voters to decide whether to have a casino in their city ... Read more Fairfax County VA seeks casino January 30, 2024 - A new casino bill to build a casino in Fairfax County is moving through committees in the state senate. The casino would include a hotel, conference center and concert hall. A possible Tysons location is ... Read more Caesars Virginia celebrates hotel construction milestone January 21, 2024 - Construction of Caesars Virginia reached a major milestone this week as the $675 million casino resort project in Danville continued on schedule for a grand opening late this year ... Read more Hard Rock Bristol construction update - Jan. 2024 January 12, 2024 - Visitors near the building site of the Hard Rock Casino in Bristol can see plenty of construction workers, trucks, and heavy equipment moving about the property ... Read more Norfolk's HeadWaters Casino Delays Final Design January 11, 2024 - In a scheduled meeting Monday with the Norfolk Architectural Review Board, the developers of the HeadWaters Resort & Casino project asked for a delay in presenting their final ... Read more Northern Virginia Casino Pursuit in 2024 January 2, 2024 - Virginia Sen. David Marsden is preparing to introduce 2024 legislation to allow Fairfax County to hold a referendum for voters to authorize a casino. Similar legislation died in the General Assembly last year ... Read more Virginia Casino News Archive ...

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