'We’ve never had a product like this in this part of the state, so it’s a game changer for us,' Meriwether said. Lisa Meriwether, Danville's tourism manager, estimates 2 million visitors each year but said that number will likely grow from casino visitors driving up from the Tar Heel state. 'Everything right now has been speculation, but we’re looking forward to seeing the demand this business will drive and the customers and where they’ll come from,' said Albrecht. The plans date back to 2020, when voters in four Virginia cities approved commercial casinos, all within a short drive from the Tennessee or North Carolina borders. 'We decided it was a great opportunity to look forward and getting this operation going, starting to generate some revenue, getting team members trained,' said Chris Albrecht, general manager of Caesars Virginia. The NoMad Hotel, Las Vegas is now open as an entirely smoke-free property.
The Vegas-based company is building a $650 million resort around the temporary tent casino. Under a temporary white tent, guests will find the dancing lights and scrolling screens of 740 gaming machines, 25 live table games and eight sports betting kiosks.
