Thanks to a Hampton City Council vote last week, Rosie’s Gaming Emporium in Hampton will expand operations to 24 hours a day.
The off-track betting facility got the green light to expand from its current 8 a.m. to 4 a.m. schedule to a round-the-clock format and is staffing up to implement the sanctioned change.
Michael Kelly, a spokesperson representing Rosie’s, told told the Virginian-Pilot:
“These expanded hours will help better meet the demands of our guests and generate more jobs and revenues in Hampton.”
More hours, more money?
The business drew an estimated $86 million worth of wagers in January. Kelly believes that the additional hours could grow those revenues even more.
Kelly also noted that Rosie’s Hampton:
- Generates more than $2.5 million in annual tax revenue for the city
- Makes $100,000 in charitable contributions to community partners each year, in addition to volunteer hours.
The increased hours of operation could see that $2.5 million in yearly tax dollars jump significantly.
Rosie’s Hampton is home to 700 historic horse racing machines and employees approximately 150 team members.
Further expansion plans for Colonial Downs
Rosie’s has seven locations open throughout the state. In addition to the Hampton location, Rosie’s operates in New Kent, Vinton, Richmond, Dumfries, Emporia and Collinsville. The Hampton location is the only one to achieve 24-hour status so far.
Parent company Colonial Downs also has plans to open the Rose Gaming Resort, which it bills as “a $400 million gaming and entertainment complex destination located alongside I-95 in Dumfries.” According to their website:
“Along with exciting gaming action, The Rose Gaming Resort will include a luxury hotel, eight bars and restaurants, a cultural venue, a space for meetings and events, and over 80 acres of green space. The Rose Gaming Resort will generate an estimated $35.5 million in annual tax revenues and have more than 500 team members.”
According to Inside NoVa, those initial plans for the historical horse racing resort are being amended ahead of a proposed opening later this year. The new plans would increase gaming positions from 1,150 to 1,650 and pare back the proposed green space to 62 acres.
The Rose Gaming Resort will resemble VA casinos
As we’ve previously pointed out, “The Rose” will look like a full-fledged casino, without the Virginia casino designation. That’s because HHR machines look and operate much like traditional slot machines, though they aren’t classified as such in VA.
Another interesting aspect of the project is the location – atop the Potomac Landfill.
When open, the facility will bring a casino-like experience to northern Virginia. Meanwhile, plans for a Fairfax County casino in Tysons Corner hang in the balance after a VA Senate subcommittee voted to table the proposal until 2025.
For now, Virginia residents and visitors are served by a casino resort in Portsmouth and temporary facilities in Bristol and Danville ahead of permanent resorts opening later this year.
