Caesars is targeting a July opening for its temporary Virginia casino in Danville. In the lead-up to the opening, Caesars has made a significant hiring push.
Caesars Danville is hiring for 400-plus positions
Chris Albrecht, general manager of Caesars Virginia, emphasized the company’s need for staff ahead of this summer’s opening.
“We’re basically hiring for every position we’ll need for the temporary. We’re looking to get about 400 to 450 team members for that and today is those gaming positions so mostly slots, security, surveillance, IT, finance, and marketing but we also have our hospitality leader here looking for food and beverage positions as well,” Albrecht said.
Casino industry experience isn’t necessarily a prerequisite, according to Albrecht. An “upbeat and positive attitude” and “great personality” are at the top of Caesars’ list of ideal qualities. “We’re going to teach them those skills they need to have for the jobs they’re looking for today,” Albrecht continued.
To support the hiring push, Caesars held a job fair in March. Albrecht says the company is still actively hiring and plans to hold other job fairs as summer approaches. The Caesars Virginia website has a full list of job openings and links to apply.
About Caesars in Danville
Caesars plans to open its permanent Danville property in 2024 — barring any delays, which are admittedly common with major construction projects. However, Virginia’s gaming legislation permits temporary casinos while operators build their permanent properties.
The temporary Caesars Danville Casino location will be underneath a massive event tent. It will host 700 slot machines and 25 table games. It will be located at the former Dan River Mills site.
However, those numbers may fluctuate as the temporary location nears its targeted July opening. Caesars needed a full-fledged staff of 400-plus employees to properly run the temporary locations. Positions include cashiers, bartenders, security, dealers, and many others.
Meanwhile, Caesars’ permanent location will multiply the need for labor. The Danville casino will have more than 1,300 slots, 85 table games, 24 electronic table games, a poker room, and a sportsbook. Even as Caesars hires for its temporary location, the company will also have to set its sights on staffing up for an eventual permanent location that requires many more employees.
Danville’s population is just above 40,000, but Caesars has expanded its search to nearby areas such as Greensboro and Durham, North Carolina.
Caesars could bring a big boost to Danville
Danville has estimated a potential $12.1 million in revenue for the city, thanks to Caesars. Of that, $8 million is expected from gaming tax earnings. City Manager Ken Larking expects to funnel those dollars back into the community.
In March, a budget proposal outlined a potential plan for the economic boost to the city. The proposed allocations are:
- $2.8 million for economic development initiatives
- $2.5 million to Danville Public Schools
- $840,000 for police department headquarters
- $800,000 for blight removal
- $467,000 for gang prevention initiatives
- $252,000 for summer internship programs
- $105,000 to complete the Plan Danville effort
- $96,000 for rental inspection districts
Larking hopes residents of Danville and nearby communities will benefit from the surge in revenue to the city once Caesars opens.
