Petersburg's temp casino: Similar to, but not same as, Danville's pre-Caesars building
PETERSBURG – The temporary casino scheduled to open in Petersburg later this year will closely resemble one used to launch gambling in Danville 22 months ago, a spokesperson for the Petersburg resort says.
Crews began clearing space for the prefabricated building on March 19, the same day ground was broken for the $1.4 billion Live! Casino & Hotel Virginia off Interstate 95 and Wagner Road in southern Petersburg. Plans call for building a permanent gaming parlor and 200-room luxury hotel around the 90,000-foot temporary casino that developers The Cordish Companies and Bruce Smith Enterprise say will be up and running by the fourth quarter of 2025.
A Richmond television station reported last week that the temporary building could be the same one used by the developers of Caesars Virginia during construction of its hotel and casino on the site of the former Dan River Industries complex in Danville. However, Andy Poarch, a spokesperson for Cordish/BSE in Virginia, told The Progress-Index that while Cordish/BSE is working with the same company that Caesars used, it will not be the same one.
Police charge armored truck driver with embezzlement, say he claimed robbery to cover gambling
'It will be tailored to fit our brand and operating style, and the guest experience we provide,' Poarch said.
The Danville prefab casino, which the news outlet Virginia Business described as looking 'like a simple white tent on the outside,' was 40,000 square feet and housed 740 slot machines, 25 live- and 28 electronic-gaming tables, and a quick-service restaurant called Three Stacks.
Petersburg's temporary casino will be 75,000 square feet and house 900 slot machines, 33 tables, and a bar and quick-service restaurant.
Petersburg and Danville are the only casino hosts in Virginia that used prefabricated buildings for their temporary casinos. Before Hard Rock opened its resort in Bristol, a temporary casino set up shop inside an abandoned mall.
'Needs emotional healing': Soldier AWOL from Fort Gregg-Adams since February back on post
Size wise, the Live! resort in Petersburg will cover a total of 525,000 square feet of hotel, meeting and entertainment space when it opens in 2027.
It would be the third largest of Virginia's five casino resorts behind the 620,000-square foot Hard Rock Casino resort in Bristol and 587,000-square foot Caesars Virginia. It will be slightly larger than the 400,000-square foot Rivers Casino in Portsmouth and the under-construction similar-sized HeadWaters casino resort in Norfolk.
Its planned 1,600 slot machines would be more than the others in Virginia, which are averaging about 1,500. Petersburg will have 65 live-action gaming tables, about 14 less than Caesars Virginia but more than Bristol, Portsmouth and Norfolk.
The planned 4,000-seat concert venue is larger than the ones at the other Virginia casinos.Teens face first-degree murder in shooting death of Hopewell man in early March
Virginia launched its casino industry in 2020 when the Virginia General Assembly passed – and then-Gov. Ralph Northam signed – legislation setting up casinos in five cities with histories of sagging economic bases. The five original sites were Bristol, Danville, Norfolk, Richmond and Portsmouth.
All but Richmond approved referendums to bring the casinos to town. Richmond voters twice rejected plans to build a casino in south Richmond near the Philip Morris tobacco plant.
Between Richmond's votes, Petersburg seized on the opportunity to boost its base with its own casino push. Efforts stalled in the 2022 and 2023 legislative sessions as Petersburg battled Richmond for the fifth casino. After Richmond second rejection in 2023, interest in Petersburg intensified, and in 2024, the General Assembly and Gov. Glenn Youngkin agreed to allow the referendum here.
That referendum passed with an 82% majority, which is considered a record in Virginia for any ballot issue not involving candidates.
In the meantime, population-rich northern Virginia – apparently envious of the popular MGM resort at National Harbor just inside Maryland – has launched its own pushes to host a casino. All have failed, including one earlier this year that passed the state Senate but died in the House of Delegates, as Virginia lawmakers appear content with the five for now.
However, that region is home to the Rose Gaming Resort in Dumfries, owned and operated by the company that developed Rosie's Gaming Emporium sites in Richmond, New Kent County, Vinton in Roanoke County, Hampton, Emporia and Collinsville in Henry County. Because none have gaming tables and the slot machines are set up differently, Rosie's sites are not considered 'traditional' casinos.
Bill Atkinson (he/him/his) is an award-winning journalist who covers breaking news, government and politics. Reach him at batkinson@progress-index.com or on X (formerly known as Twitter) at @BAtkinson_PI.
This article originally appeared on The Progress-Index: Petersburg's temporary casino will be set up in ready-made building
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Upturn
12 hours ago
- Business Upturn
Suzlon Wins ATD's BEST Award 2025 for Empowering India's Next-Generation Green Energy Leaders
About ATD The Association for Talent Development (ATD) is the world's largest professional membership organization supporting those who develop the knowledge and skills of employees, improve performance, and help to achieve results for the organizations they serve. Established in 1943, the association was known as the American Society for Training & Development (ASTD). ATD's members come from more than 100 countries and work in public and private organizations in every industry sector. ATD supports talent development professionals who gather locally in volunteer-led US chapters, international member networks, and with international strategic partners. For more information, visit About The Suzlon Group The Suzlon Group is a leading global renewable energy solutions provider, with approximately 21.1 GW* of wind energy capacity installed across 17 countries. Headquartered at Suzlon One Earth in Pune, India, the Group includes Suzlon Energy Limited (NSE: SUZLON, BSE: 532667) and its subsidiaries. A vertically integrated organisation, Suzlon has in-house R&D centres in Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, and India, and world-class manufacturing facilities across India. With 30 years of operational excellence and a diverse workforce of ~7,800 employees, Suzlon is India's No. 1 Renewable Energy Solutions company, managing 15.1 GW of assets and an additional ~6 GW installed outside India. Its portfolio includes the advanced 2.x MW and 3.x MW series of wind turbines. *Global installations of Suzlon-manufactured wind turbine generators. Data as of 31st March 2025 Suzlon corporate website: Follow us on Social media:FacebookTwitterLinkedIn Instagram Click here for Media Contact Details Submit your press release Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with Business Wire. Business Upturn takes no editorial responsibility for the same.
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Yahoo
Sonata Software Collaborates with IISc's Foundation of Science Innovation and Development to Power AI-Driven Scientific Research and Champion Adoption of Responsible-first AI Approach
BENGALURU, India, June 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Sonata Software (NSE: SONATSOFTW) (BSE: 532221), a leader in Modernization Engineering, has announced its strategic partnership with IISc's Foundation of Science Innovation and Development (FSID). The three-year collaboration aims to create an ecosystem that leverages Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its emerging areas to reimagine enterprises of the future backed by advanced research in Computer Science. As the world faces rapid and disruptive technological advancements, the necessity for a collaborative ecosystem – comprising students, government bodies, academia, and corporations – to proactively remain proficient in cutting-edge skills has never been more critical. Aligned to Sonata Software's 'Responsible-first' philosophy, this partnership recognizes the importance of responsible AI innovations. By equipping individuals and organizations with necessary skills, partnerships and frameworks, this initiative aims to unlock next-generation opportunities presented by AI-led advancements, while ensuring unwavering commitment to ethics, trust, privacy, security, and compliance. This approach enhances their potential to create value through cutting-edge innovations, interconnected ecosystems, and widespread efficiencies. This initiative will specifically support the Department of Computer Science and Automation (CSA) at IISc, enabling key stakeholders to engage in research activities that address contemporary challenges and opportunities in AI and emerging technologies. The initiative will focus on four key objectives: Promoting Outreach and Education Programs: Engaging students and communities to enhance awareness and skills in technology. Supporting Scientific Research Activities: Facilitating cutting-edge research in Software Engineering and Responsible AI. Enhancing Research and Education Infrastructure: Upgrading facilities to enable Advanced Research and Learning Experiences. Incubating Startups in AI: Providing a platform for entrepreneurial ventures that contribute to the AI landscape. "We are happy to partner with Sonata Software in this effort, which is a significant step toward enriching the academic experience for our students and faculty," stated Prof B Gurumoorthy, Director of FSID, Indian Institute of Science. "By aligning education with industry needs, particularly in the rapidly evolving field of AI, we are not only enhancing our students' skill sets but also driving forward the crucial goal of responsible innovation in technology." "At Sonata Software, we believe that fostering AI education and research is key to unlocking innovative solutions for a sustainable future," said Rajshekar Datta Roy, Chief Technology Officer at Sonata Software. "Partnering with IISc— a globally acknowledged premier institute for advanced scientific and technological research and education —enables us to nurture talent and drive transformative advancements in AI. Together, we aim to create a platform that not only prepares the ecosystem for future challenges but also champions Responsible-first practices to ensure ethical advancements in technology." About Sonata Software In today's market, there is a unique duality in technology adoption. On one side, extreme focus on cost containment by clients, and on the other, deep motivation to modernize their Digital storefronts to attract more consumers and B2B customers. Sonata Software, with $1 Billion Revenue, is the leading Modernization company. Our unique Modernization approach through helps create Efficient and Agile digital businesses to drive intelligent ecosystems of the future. Our bouquet of Modernization Engineering Services cuts across Data, Cloud, Dynamics, Automation, Cyber Security, and around newer technologies like Generative AI, Microsoft Fabric, and other modernization platforms. Our unique and innovative Responsible-first AI offering Sonata is a comprehensive platform powered by GenAI and encompasses a variety of industry solutions, service delivery platforms, and accelerators. It is distinguished by its embedded ethics, privacy, security, and compliance. We enable our clients to leverage AI in three different ways: i) driving efficiencies, ii) driving higher consumer experience/modern sales, and iii) driving innovative business models. Headquartered in Bengaluru, India, Sonata Software has a strong global presence, including key regions North America, UK, Europe, APAC, and ANZ. We are one of the fastest growing IT Services companies and a trusted partner of Fortune 500 companies in Banking, Financial Services and Insurance (BFSI); Healthcare and Lifesciences (HLS); Telecom, Media, and Technology (TMT); and Retail, Manufacturing and Distribution (RMD) space. Sonata Software boasts of a very strong partnership with Microsoft, AWS and many others. We are proud member of Microsoft AI Partner Council and have also achieved AWS Generative AI Competency. Also, we are member of the prestigious Inner Circle for Microsoft Business Applications and Featured and Launch Partner for Microsoft Fabric. About the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) The Indian Institute of Science (IISc) was established in 1909 by a visionary partnership between the industrialist Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata, the Mysore royal family and the Government of India. Over the last 114 years, IISc has become India's premier institute for advanced scientific and technological research and education. Its mandate is "to provide for advanced instruction and to conduct original investigations in all branches of knowledge as are likely to promote the material and industrial welfare of India." In 2018, IISc was selected as an Institution of Eminence (IoE) by the Government of India, and it consistently figures among the top Indian institutions in world university rankings. For more information, please visit Logo: View original content: Effettua l'accesso per consultare il tuo portafoglio
Business Upturn
15 hours ago
- Business Upturn
CreditAccess Grameen secures $100 million multi-currency syndicated social loan facility
By Aman Shukla Published on June 10, 2025, 16:23 IST CreditAccess Grameen Limited (NSE: CREDITACC, BSE: 541770), India's largest NBFC-MFI, has successfully raised a USD 100 million multi-currency syndicated social loan facility. This landmark transaction marks a pioneering moment in the Indian microfinance sector as the first-ever social loan facility qualifying as an External Commercial Borrowing (ECB) under the automatic route of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). The facility, denominated in Japanese Yen (JPY) and United States Dollars (USD), was secured primarily from leading banks across South Asia and the Far East. It reflects growing international investor confidence in CA Grameen's strong ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) credentials and its mission-driven operations. This is the second syndicated loan arranged by Standard Chartered Bank for CA Grameen. The bank had previously led the Company's $200 million ECB in 2023. This new social loan strictly adheres to CA Grameen's Social Loan Framework, aligned with the globally recognized Social Loan Principles 2023, and has been validated by Sustainalytics for its credibility and developmental impact. Initially launched with a base size of USD 70 million in November 2024, the offering saw robust interest and was oversubscribed, closing at USD 100 million from a consortium of seven banks. Notably, the funding includes significant commitments from Japanese and Korean financial institutions. Proceeds from the facility will be allocated to eligible social impact projects, further empowering CA Grameen's efforts to support underserved communities and promote sustainable, inclusive growth across India. Aman Shukla is a post-graduate in mass communication . A media enthusiast who has a strong hold on communication ,content writing and copy writing. Aman is currently working as journalist at
