There’s good news and bad news tied to the opening of Caesar's new casino resort in Danville, Virginia.
The good news is that a star-studded event is planned that will help swing open its doors. The bad news is that organizers need a little more prep time, just to get things right, so the grand opening has been pushed back from this Thursday (December 12) to Tuesday, December 17.
The statement did not give a specific reason for delaying the scheduled opening, but Chris Albrecht, the general manager of Caesars Virginia, expressed appreciation for everyone's patience with the brief delay. He mentioned that the team has been working tirelessly to get everything ready.
Until the grand opening, guests can continue to play at the temporary Danville Casino located in the resort's parking lot.
Caesars Virginia Grand Opening Plans
While casino-goers must wait five more days to enter Caesars Virginia, organizers are planning a grand opening like no other in Danville.
The doors will open at noon, but the festivities will kick off at 10:15 a.m. with a parade of race cars and supercars from Virginia International Raceway, Kaizen Autosport, and Foreign Cars Italia. The parade will wind through Danville's streets, starting at the corner of Main and Craghead Street and finishing at the casino. Rodman will be the parade's master of ceremonies.
At 11 a.m., executives from Caesars Entertainment and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, along with local officials, will speak at the resort's main entrance.
At 8 p.m., there will be a fireworks and drone show, lighting up the sky above the resort and the historic 'Three Sisters' smokestacks, which were once part of Dan River Mills.
Dennis Rodman to Place First Bet
But perhaps the highlight of the day will be when NBA champion Dennis Rodman will attend and will place the ceremonial first bet at Caesars Sportsbook.
Rodman is renowned for his exceptional defensive and rebounding skills. He gained fame in the NBA playing for teams like the Detroit Pistons, Chicago Bulls, and Los Angeles Lakers.
He was a pivotal part of the "Bad Boys" Pistons teams that won championships in 1989 and 1990 and later won three more titles with the Bulls alongside Michael Jordan in the late 1990s. Off the court, Rodman is known for his flamboyant personality, distinctive fashion sense, and colorful hairstyles, as well as his forays into acting, professional wrestling, and reality television.
Rodman is also well known for his days as a Las Vegas gambler. However, he wasn't trying to win; instead, he wanted to lose. In a symbolic gesture of self-punishment and renewal, Rodman deliberately made large bets at the casino, defying the usual logic of gambling.
He would also be seen gambling a lot with his former teammate Michael Jordan.
New Danville Casino Features
Caesars Virginia is a casino resort covering nearly 590,000 square feet.
It has more than 90,000 square feet for gaming, which includes 1,500 slot machines, 79 live-action table games, 48 electronic table games, a WSOP™ poker room, and Caesars Sportsbook.
The resort will also be able to accommodate hundreds of guests. Its hotel has over 300 rooms and a 50,000-square-foot space for meetings and conventions. There’s also enough space to host live entertainment for 2,500 people, a full-service spa, and a pool.
More Casinos Coming to Virginia
The Danville casino is set to open soon, following several recent grand openings, with more casinos planned across Virginia.
In Norfolk, the Pamunkey Indian Tribe and casino operators broke ground on their long-anticipated casino and resort around six weeks ago. Initially, a temporary casino will be constructed, with a permanent facility to replace it by September 2027.
Last month, Petersburg voters approved a new casino, joining the ranks of Danville and Hampton, which have already greenlit similar projects. Meanwhile, a Hard Rock Casino opened in Bristol opened its doors a few weeks ago.
