Caesars reps tight-lipped as temporary casino going up in Danville
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While construction on Caesars Virginia's temporary casino continues at the former Dan River Inc. site in Schoolfield, company representatives are not answering questions about the facility.
"I appreciate your list of inquiries, however I’m unable to provide comment at this time," Robert Jarrett told the Danville Register & Bee on Nov. 25.
Jarrett did not respond to questions sent to Caesars again on Dec. 20, as well as a follow-up email sent Thursday regarding the queries.
So far, what appears to be a giant white tent can be seen at site from West Main Street and Bishop Road.
Danville City Manager Ken Larking provided information on what patrons can expect once the temporary casino is completed around mid-2023.
"It's going to look like the inside of a normal building and it will be of decent quality," Larking said. "It's more substantial than maybe it appears from the outside."
The facility will include slot machines and gaming tables, Larking said, adding that he wasn't sure how many of each amenity will be offered.
There will also be food onsite, with food trucks possible, he said.
"It will be nothing fancy, nothing like the actual [permanent Caesars Virginia] resort will have," Larking said. "What the customers want will probably drive a lot of what they do."
Officials anticipate opening the temporary casino more than a year before Caesars Virginia plans to open its $650 million casino hotel resort at the same address.
By law, the casino must be located at the Schoolfield site, since that is the location that was listed in the casino referendum question Danville voters passed in November 2020.
Caesars' application for the casino is being reviewed by the Virginia Lottery, a process that includes extensive background investigations, said John Hagerty, spokesperson for the Virginia Lottery.
Hagerty would not provide details Caesars' stage in the application process.
"We can't talk about the application itself or where they are in the process," Hagerty said Friday. "No date has been set for the Lottery Board to vote on the application for Caesars Virginia."
There is no separate licensure process for the temporary casino, he said.
The Virginia Lottery is responsible for licensing and regulatory oversight of all casino operations, according to the Virginia Lottery's website.
Before opening a casino gaming establishment, a company such as Caesars must apply for and receive a facility operator's license. Only a preferred casino gaming operator may apply for such a license, according to the Virginia Lottery website.
A facility operator's license costs $15 million, which is due when the license is issued, according to the Virginia Lottery web site.
As for details on the temporary casino, Hagerty referred questions to Caesars.
"Your questions about the amenities, interior, customer experience, etc. are best directed at Caesars Virginia," he said.
The permanent Caesars Virginia casino, currently under construction, is expected to generate up to $38 million in tax revenue to the city after it is up and running in 2024.
Whiting-Turner is the contractor building the Danville casino resort. The firm also has constructed the Horseshoe Baltimore, as well as projects at Caesars Palace Las Vegas, The LINQ Hotel+Experience Las Vegas, Harvey’s Lake Tahoe and more.
Plans include a destination resort casino with a 500-room hotel.
The casino will feature more than 1,400 slot machines and table games, Caesars Sportsbook and WSOP Poker Room, a live poker room named for and carrying the spirit of the legendary World Series of Poker with 25 tables, Caesars Entertainment has said.
Meeting and convention space will total 40,000 square feet with an entertainment venue to accommodate up to 2,500 guests. There will also be restaurants and bars. Nine hundred construction jobs will be filled as well as 1,300 operational jobs.
