Caesars Entertainment has officially opened the doors to its new permanent casino resort in Danville, Virginia.
Having operated from a temporary facility since last year, the official opening of the permanent Caesars Virginia venue took place on Tuesday and was attended by Danville Mayor Alonzo Jones, Virginia Lottery executive director Khalid Jones, Senator Tammy Mulchi, and Deputy Secretary of Commerce and Trade Maggie Beal.
Following the ribbon-cutting ceremony, five-time NBA champion Dennis Rodman placed the ceremonial first bet in the new Caesars Sportsbook, betting a $100 five-leg parlay on all five teams he played for in the NBA to win their next game.
“This has been an impressive development project to see come together over the past couple of years and we couldn’t be prouder to finally open the doors of this beautiful destination,” said Chris Albrecht, senior vice president and general manager of Caesars Virginia.
“We couldn’t have done it without the support of our partners, Team Members and the Danville community and we’re so grateful to have had so many of them here with us to celebrate. We look forward to what the future holds here in Virginia, and we can’t wait to share it with our guests.”
The new resort is owned by Caesars in partnership with EBCI Holdings and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.
“The grand opening of Caesars Virginia in Danville marks another proud moment of our partnership with Caesars,” said Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians chief Michell Hicks. “It reflects the EBCI’s commitment to economic growth, job creation and community investment.
“We’re honored to be part of an effort that creates lasting opportunities for the people of Danville and the surrounding region.”
Caesars Virginia boasts 90,000 square feet of gaming space, including nearly 1,500 of the newest slots, 79 live-action table games, 48 electronic table games, a WSOP poker room and Caesars Sportsbook.
Caesars Virginia is also home to a 320-room hotel tower and 50,000 square feet of meeting and convention space that also serves as a live entertainment venue.
Revenue from Virginia’s land-based casino market grew by 24 per cent to $63.6 million in November, with revenue at Caesars Virginia up by 13 per cent year-on-year to $19.8 million.
Shares in Caesars Entertainment Inc (NASDAQ:CZR) closed 6.23 per cent lower at $33.88 per share in New York Wednesday, and were up 1.83 per cent to $34.50 per share in after hours.