Developers are uncertain about the promised hotel, but there is no doubt that the new Portsmouth resort will feature a casino.
During the previous week, a representative from Rush Street Gaming, a Chicago-based gaming company, provided the Portsmouth City Council with an update on the project timeline.
In November, the residents of Portsmouth expressed a strong preference for the casino by voting in its favor during a referendum. Consequently, Rush Street, the city’s chosen partner for the Rivers Portsmouth Casino Resort, received the necessary approval to proceed with the $300 million project.
Nevertheless, it is possible that the Portsmouth casino-resort will not have a hotel, at least in the beginning stages.
Portsmouth resort’s hotel on hold?
The opening of the Rivers Portsmouth Casino Resort is projected for the autumn of 2022, although there were several months of uncertainty surrounding the hotel portion of the establishment.
During the Portsmouth City Council meeting, Mike Tobin, a senior vice president for Rush Street Gaming, stated that the hotel’s completion date is still uncertain. The conversation occasionally became heated as certain council members expressed their frustration.
The Portsmouth casino project has been extensively covered by the WAVY.com 10 On Your Side team. In their most recent report, they highlighted that the company has publicly acknowledged, for the first time, the unlikelihood of the hotel being included in the formal launch.
As Tobin said:
Our ultimate objective is to become the inaugural permanent casino in Virginia. Consequently, our primary emphasis is on expediting the casino’s opening. Simultaneously, we aim to ensure that the hotel opens at an opportune moment, maximizing its potential for success and contributing positively to the Portsmouth community. We are keen to avoid any scenario where the hotel launches at an inopportune time in relation to the hospitality market, as this would hinder its potential for prosperity, which is something we all wish to avoid.
Tobin ultimately emphasized the COVID-19 pandemic as the primary factor leading to numerous uncertainties for hospitality companies.
Competition from Norfolk casino?
Brett Hall from WAVY.com’s 10 On Your Side has been reporting on the casino project since its inception.
In 2020, he penned an article discussing the possibility of Rush Street not being obligated to construct a hotel. This was due to the approval of a casino, the $500 million Pamunkey Casino Resort Norfolk, by voters in nearby Norfolk. Interestingly, if both casinos fail to meet specific net gaming revenue targets, the City of Norfolk reserves the right to engage an alternative developer for the hotel project.
Regardless of the uncertainty about the timing, Tobin affirmed that Rush Street will indeed build a hotel.
Tobin confidently informed the city council members that they were indeed constructing a hotel.
Last week, PlayVirginia reported that Rush Street officials have recently unveiled new renderings for the Portsmouth casino. While the opening date for the hotel remains uncertain, it is included in the latest renderings.
In the end, Rivers Portsmouth Casino Resort is anticipated to showcase
- Full-service hotel
- Casino and sportsbook
- Live event center
- Conference and meeting space
- Restaurants and bars
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