Coal jobs are almost gone. Could a casino help rescue southwest Virginia?
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Bristol's first casino opened in July. More than 25,000 people visited in the first three weeks. The gambling tax revenue will be shared among the 14 Virginia cities and counties. The Hard Rock Casino and hotel is slated to open on the site in 2024. Rivers Casino in Portsmouth is scheduled to be open in February 2023, HeadWaters Resort and Casino is expected to finish next year, and Caesars Danville is planned for late 2024, but the state's other casinos are in varying stages of completion.
The Bristol Casino in Virginia has been operating since August. It has generated almost $14.3 million in revenue and more than $2.5 million of which goes to the Regional Improvement Commission. The commission is in the process of setting up a bank account and other mechanisms to administer the funding. The money will be used for education, transportation and public safety. In Norton, the money could be spent on capital projects. He hopes it will give the city breathing space to pay down its debt. For the rest of the state, it's unlikely to be as effective. There will only be one other casino in that area.
