An impressive project
The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians has partnered with Caesars Entertainment as part of a $650m casino resort project in Virginia. Caesars announced the partnership on Wednesday; the Caesars Virginia development in Danville set to break ground during the week. The current plan is for the resort to be open before the end of 2024. It is expected to generate thousands of jobs and be a key driver of tourism and the local economy.
more than 1,300 slot machines, 85 table games, and 24 electronic table games
The resort will contain a 500-room hotel and a gaming area with more than 1,300 slot machines, 85 table games, and 24 electronic table games. There will also be a Caesars Sportsbook and a World Series of Poker (WSOP) poker room. Other amenities include a pool, spa, restaurants, bars, a 2,500-seat live entertainment theatre, and 40,000 square feet worth of convention and meeting space.
A long-running relationship
Upon completion of the casino resort, Caesars will be the manager of the property. The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians will be a partner in the joint venture and a minority investor from the locality will be on board. Caesars is planning to leverage its existing rewards program when the casino is open in order to attract patrons to the Danville facility.
a “valued partner” of the casino company for over two decades
Caesars Entertainment’s chief operating officer and president Anthony Carano spoke about how the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians has been a “valued partner” of the casino company for over two decades. He also mentioned how the new casino resort will bring culinary excellence and the best entertainment talent “to the Danville region for people to enjoy.”
Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians principal chief Richard Sneed also welcomed the opportunity that the joint venture presents to the tribe. Speaking about the plans for the property, he said that it will be a “first-class resort that will be defined by luxury and service that Caesars’ guests have known and come to expect.”
Expanding their portfolios
Caesars Entertainment is currently the biggest domestic casino and entertainment company in the US. It is the owner and manager of over 50 properties across the nation. Caesars already has a presence in Virginia through its online sportsbook, but it does not have any land-based casinos in the state. Danville is one of a number of cities in Virginia that got the go-ahead in 2020 to open a casino.
The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians is a North Carolina-based tribe. It has two casinos up and running in its home state: Harrah’s Cherokee Casino and Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River. The tribe also bought the Caesars Southern Indiana casino last year for $250m from Caesars Entertainment.