Danville Leaders Unfazed by North Carolina Casino Legalization Efforts
Date: 2023-07-27 Categories: CASINO
Caesars Entertainment invests $650 million in Danville to bring Caesars Virginia to the border town. The Integrated Resort Casino is one of four authorized casinos in Virginia.
North Carolina lawmakers are currently mulling legislation that would allow up to three commercial casinos to open in Rockingham, Anson and Nash counties. Rockingham is north of Greensboro and borders with Virginia near Danville.
Responding to questions about whether the Tar Heel state's casino legalization efforts are causing concern for Danville and its casino developer, local officials said that's why the city chose Caesars in the first place.
“The Caesars brand, the Caesars name is second to none. We are happy with what we have and what we will have in the coming years,” said Danville City Council member Lee Fogler in an interview with the Danville Register & Bee.
Prepared for the competition
The Virginia Gambling Act of 2020 allowed Richmond, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Bristol, and Danville to ask their constituents if they would like to welcome a commercial casino resort with the goal that such investment would spur the region's economy. The local government of Danville held a competitive bid for their only gaming opportunity, and Caesars emerged victorious.
Danville voters during the November 2020 election were asked if they supported allowing Caesars to build an integrated resort casino on the former Dan River Mills textile campus. Almost 69% of the votes supported the casino initiative.
Danville city manager Ken Larking said Caesars won the bidding war because it provided the city with the best economic opportunity. But the popularity of the brand of the gaming operator also played its role.
Larking said local officials knew that North Carolina might consider opening its own commercial casinos. But he believes that the Caesars brand will sufficiently preserve the Southern Virginia gaming market and attract visitors north from North Carolina, even if commercial casinos one day appear in the neighboring state.
One of the reasons the city has chosen Caesars as its operator is its high brand awareness and customer loyalty in North Carolina,” Larking explained.
Caesars operates two of North Carolina's three tribal casinos on behalf of the Eastern Cherokee Indians. Harrah's Cherokee and Harrah's Cherokee Valley River are located in the mountainous southwestern part of the state.
“We will have every opportunity to operate [a casino in North Carolina],” Danville Vice Mayor Gary Miller said. "Caesar will do it. We will have a first-class resort. It's not just a casino."
Strong start
Caesars Virginia opened its temporary Danville casino on May 15th. The tent pavilion has 768 slot machines and 25 board games.
During its first full month, Danville Casino generated $18.9 million in gross gaming revenue (GGR), of which $14.3 million came from slots. Rivers Casino Portsmouth alone, a full-time casino with 1,418 slots and 81 table games, won more money from players in Virginia last month by about $20.5 million.
Hard Rock Bristol, also a temporary gaming space with 928 slots and 29 tables, won $12.7 million in June.
North Carolina lawmakers are currently mulling legislation that would allow up to three commercial casinos to open in Rockingham, Anson and Nash counties. Rockingham is north of Greensboro and borders with Virginia near Danville.
Responding to questions about whether the Tar Heel state's casino legalization efforts are causing concern for Danville and its casino developer, local officials said that's why the city chose Caesars in the first place.
“The Caesars brand, the Caesars name is second to none. We are happy with what we have and what we will have in the coming years,” said Danville City Council member Lee Fogler in an interview with the Danville Register & Bee.
Prepared for the competition
The Virginia Gambling Act of 2020 allowed Richmond, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Bristol, and Danville to ask their constituents if they would like to welcome a commercial casino resort with the goal that such investment would spur the region's economy. The local government of Danville held a competitive bid for their only gaming opportunity, and Caesars emerged victorious.
Danville voters during the November 2020 election were asked if they supported allowing Caesars to build an integrated resort casino on the former Dan River Mills textile campus. Almost 69% of the votes supported the casino initiative.
Danville city manager Ken Larking said Caesars won the bidding war because it provided the city with the best economic opportunity. But the popularity of the brand of the gaming operator also played its role.
Larking said local officials knew that North Carolina might consider opening its own commercial casinos. But he believes that the Caesars brand will sufficiently preserve the Southern Virginia gaming market and attract visitors north from North Carolina, even if commercial casinos one day appear in the neighboring state.
One of the reasons the city has chosen Caesars as its operator is its high brand awareness and customer loyalty in North Carolina,” Larking explained.
Caesars operates two of North Carolina's three tribal casinos on behalf of the Eastern Cherokee Indians. Harrah's Cherokee and Harrah's Cherokee Valley River are located in the mountainous southwestern part of the state.
“We will have every opportunity to operate [a casino in North Carolina],” Danville Vice Mayor Gary Miller said. "Caesar will do it. We will have a first-class resort. It's not just a casino."
Strong start
Caesars Virginia opened its temporary Danville casino on May 15th. The tent pavilion has 768 slot machines and 25 board games.
During its first full month, Danville Casino generated $18.9 million in gross gaming revenue (GGR), of which $14.3 million came from slots. Rivers Casino Portsmouth alone, a full-time casino with 1,418 slots and 81 table games, won more money from players in Virginia last month by about $20.5 million.
Hard Rock Bristol, also a temporary gaming space with 928 slots and 29 tables, won $12.7 million in June.
