Caesars Virginia, a premier casino resort, celebrated its grand opening in Danville on December 17, 2024. This $750 million project, a collaboration between Caesars Entertainment and the eastern band of Cherokee Indians, aims to be a significant economic driver for the region.
The resort boasts over 90,000 square feet of gaming space, featuring nearly 1,500 state-of-the-art slot machines and 79 live-action table games. The 320-room hotel tower offers luxurious accommodations, floor-to-ceiling panoramic views of the Southern Virginia skyline, and the historic “Three Sisters” smokestacks.
Caesars Virginia is expected to serve as an economic catalyst for Danville and the surrounding areas, creating numerous employment opportunities and attracting tourists. The project reflects a significant investment in the community’s growth and development.
The casino and resort create hundreds of jobs, some of which could be filled by Averett students, particularly in hospitality, business, and event management. Caesars may also collaborate with the university for internship programs, offering hands-on experience in gaming, hotel management, and entertainment industries.
Averett has partnered with Caesars Virginia and added a hospitality major to its courses. Many students take advantage of the major, wanting to work in the industry considering it’s less than ten minutes up the road from campus. Many students have found that the nearby casino has directly impacted the Danville community.
Faith Bowlin, a senior nursing student at Averett, discussed changes that she’s seen during her 4 years at Averett and the surrounding community. Bowlin entered Averett in 2021. Originally from Baltimore, Maryland, she was drawn to southern Virginia to study nursing and play on the women’s lacrosse team.
“In Danville, there have been many upgrades around the town, and some revitalizations of certain areas such as the old mill and the new splash pads,” Bowlin said.
“I haven’t seen a huge impact on Averett because it is hard to tell what has changed from faculty turnover and money struggles.” Bowlin graduates in the spring of 2025, hoping to begin her career in Roanoke. She’s a very involved student leader and a well-accomplished athlete, receiving many accolades for her performances on the field.
While Averett has dealt with lots of financial difficulties, the school has been working diligently to provide students with the necessary skills to go into the workforce after college. The city of Danville has seen a big impact economically with many businesses beginning to set up shop nearby. Texas Roadhouse is one of many new businesses brought into Danville due to the high rise in the economy over the last year.
With the rapid growth in Danville’s economy due to the building of the casino, some Averett alumni and current students have found new employers. Speaking to Calvin Beavers about his experience working at the new Caesars Virginia. Beavers graduated in the spring of 2024 and majored in sports communications while competing with the men’s lacrosse team for four years.
“Being a student at Averett has prepared me in more ways than an education. In my four years at Averett, I was able to network and learn a lot about the town, which enabled me to give our guests the best experience in the facilities and around town,” Beavers explained.
Beavers is currently working in the hospitality part of the casino, where he checks in hundreds of guests who come from all over to stay in Danville’s newest attraction.
Caesars implements very strong rules and regulations to ensure that guests enjoy the gaming experience. Clothing must be proper and guests must be 21 to play any of the table games or to put in a bid for the sportsbook. No alcohol can go in or out of the establishment. Per Virginia law, if guests are of age they are permitted to smoke inside. Finally, there are to be no pictures to be taken of the table games to ensure fair play.
“The casino has brought a lot of new businesses and has changed the city of Danville completely. Averett has tried very hard to work with the casino to bring students a new hospitality program and get [students] a job or career after college.”
Shane Michel had this to say about the new installment of the casino and how Averett is working to get students ready for the future. Michel is a 5th-year graduate student, receiving his bachelor’s in sports communications. Michel entered Averett in the fall of 2020 and has visited the casino countless times to indulge in the gaming experience since its inception.
While the casino has only been open a little over a month. Since officially opening in December, the casino has had a revenue of 28.3 million dollars. Caesars Virginia will take a little more time to truly reach and affect the nearby university. While offering a new place of employment and a new attraction that can bring in new students looking to study hospitality at Averett. The community can truly look forward to lots of improvements soon.
