Caesars Casino Resort Danville has officially been approved by Virginia voters after the ballots were counted.
The Danville casino referendum was overwhelmingly supported by residents, with a vote of 13,022 in favor and 541 against, resulting in a significant 69% to 31% split.
The Caesars Entertainment and the Danville City Council have recently confirmed their partnership and are now progressing with the Caesars Casino Resort Danville project in the city of south-central Virginia. Their aim is to complete the project and have it operational by 2025.
Construction of the hotel and resort, which has a budget of $400 million, will take place at the Dan River Mills industrial complex located in Schoolfield.
“In a statement, Tom Reeg, CEO of Caesars Entertainment, expressed…”
Caesars Entertainment expresses gratitude to the voters of Danville for their endorsement of the referendum, which paves the way for Caesars Virginia to be established in Danville. We eagerly anticipate fulfilling the voters’ confidence by generating 1,300 well-paying job opportunities, boosting tourism revenue, and fostering economic growth within the City. The commencement of construction fills us with immense excitement.”
In the beginning of the year, the Virginia General Assembly selected five economically challenged cities in VA to potentially hold a casino referendum. This year, four of these cities, namely Danville, Bristol, Norfolk, and Portsmouth, have already conducted their votes (Richmond voters will have their turn on Election Day in 2021).
City leaders in Danville have shown robust backing for the casino project, receiving crucial endorsements in the lead-up to the Election Day vote. Their rationale revolves around the notion that the casino would sustain the city’s ongoing progress and revitalization.
Danville casino vote results
18,963 residents of Danville participated in the measure, representing 100% of the precincts reporting. This number accounts for approximately 50% of the city’s population.
The following is the text that was displayed on the ballots in Danville:
Is it permissible to have casino gaming at the former Dan River Mills Schoolfield Division Site, located at 1100 West Main Street, Danville, Virginia 24541, as approved by the Virginia Lottery Board?
Similar to the rest of the commonwealth and US, a significant number of Danville residents opted for early voting. Specifically, a staggering 42.5% of registered voters in Danville cast their ballots through absentee voting before Election Day.
Supporters had campaigned tirelessly for the casino, investing months of effort.
The project received enthusiastic support from numerous leaders in Danville, including Mayor Alonzo Jones. Furthermore, the Caesars for Danville campaign was highly visible and persuasively promoted throughout the year 2020.
Despite the support of over 100 area businesses, the anti-casino movement in Danville also involved a few local business owners who were part of the Defend Danville group, along with the Local Action PAC.
Danville casino at Dan River Mills in Schoolfield
Caesars Virginia, located in Danville, is set to establish a premier resort along the border of Virginia and North Carolina, offering a top-notch experience to its visitors.
The developers have consistently stated that the planned resort site will serve as a “tourism engine” for the city, considering the significant proximity of 10.5 million individuals residing within a three-hour radius.
Caesars Danville has announced that their casino-resort will include a variety of attractions, including:
- 300-room, four-star hotel
- A casino, poker room, and sportsbook are available for your entertainment.
- A conference and meeting center spanning an area of 35,000 square feet.
- 2,500-seat live entertainment venue
- State-0f-the-art spa
- Pool
- Fitness center
- There are numerous restaurants, bars, and retail shops.
The main attraction of the Danville casino project was its potential to revitalize the former Dan River Mills industrial complex located in Schoolfield. This 85-acre site is situated along the Dan River on West Main Street, right in the heart of the city, and holds the prestigious status of being a national historic district.
Since 2006, the complex, which used to be the largest textile facility in the South, has remained unoccupied.
In addition, despite the recent vibrant revitalization of the Danville riverfront, much of the progress has been overshadowed by the deteriorating Dan River Mills complex.
Instead of completely replacing the site, the designers at Caesars assure us that they will instead honor its significant history. They intend to integrate the mill’s vibrant past into their plans, encompassing its smokestacks, red bricks, and overall industrial design, thus celebrating its heritage.
Caesars Virginia’s impact on job and economy
As Election Day approached, advocates proudly highlighted the potential of Caesars Casino Resort Danville to strengthen the city’s economy and increase employment opportunities.
Caesars officials have announced that the project has the potential to create 1,300 full-time employment opportunities and 900 temporary construction jobs. They have emphasized their commitment to prioritizing local job candidates and collaborating with local businesses.
According to Caesars officials, the full-time positions will offer salaries ranging from $35,000 to $47,000, along with comprehensive benefits. These job opportunities will span across various fields including marketing, gaming, facilities, finance, food and beverage, as well as security and surveillance, catering to individuals from entry-level to senior executive roles.
Caesars Entertainment has already organized a series of employment webinars to discuss potential careers at the casino, and they have also announced plans to collaborate with Averett University and Danville Community College in order to establish workforce development programs.
Caesars, besides creating job opportunities, will make an upfront payment of $5 million to acquire the Schoolfield site from the City of Danville. Furthermore, within 30 days of the referendum passing, the company will provide an additional $20 million to the riverfront city, allowing Danville to allocate the funds as they deem appropriate.
By its third year, the casino has the potential to generate over $20 million in annual tax revenue for Danville.
Caesars presented the following proposal to the voters of Danville:
The resort is projected to produce $22 million in gaming taxes each year for the City within three years of its establishment. Moreover, Caesars has committed to providing an extra financial aid to the City, separate from the gaming taxes, which will be determined by the resort’s gaming revenues. After five years, this supplementary annual aid is estimated to amount to $12 million. Additionally, the resort is anticipated to generate over $4 million in various local taxes such as property, meals, and hotel occupancy taxes.
In a recent development, the Danville City Council has taken the initiative to conduct virtual town halls. The purpose of these town halls is to provide residents with a platform to express their opinions on the allocation of potential gaming tax revenue.
Danville casino next steps
Following the official approval of Caesars Casino Resort Danville by voters, the commencement of a minimum two-year period for development and construction is now underway.
By April 2021, the Virginia Lottery, responsible for supervising casino gambling in the state, must establish definitive casino regulations. Once accomplished, Caesars officials, based in Las Vegas, will be eligible to officially seek a gaming license.
Nevertheless, it may take VA Lottery officials up to a year to make their decision. As of now, Caesars officials anticipate commencing construction in the latter part of 2021.
Included in the future plans for the Danville casino project are:
- Public participation in the design and development process
- Community impact study
- Traffic study
- Determining infrastructure needs
In contrast to certain Virginia casinos that might open gradually, the officials intend to ensure that all the attractions of the Danville casino are fully operational right from its initial launch, expected in 2025.
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