Caesars Virginia opens in Danville, expected to draw NC residents

DANVILLE, Va. (WTVD) -- Doors are finally open for the new Caesars Casino located in Danville, Virginia.

ABC11 got a firsthand look at the new location before it officially opened to the general public at noon on December 17.

The opening was delayed by a few days as they continued to put the finishing touches on the hotel, which includes an event center, resort, bars, restaurants and a full casino.

The casino features 1,500 slot machines, multiple table games, a high-limit area, and a full sportsbook.

It's a taste of Las Vegas built from the ground up after two years, becoming one of the company's biggest properties outside Las Vegas and Atlantic City.

"It definitely takes a minute to do all that coming from a completely using 50 acres and starting from scratch," says general manager Chris Albrecht.

Caesars says they are also prioritizing local hires, and hopes the new resort will be a boost to the economy.

"We've started with over 400 team members to get to close to 1200. And a lot of them are getting into some really life-changing jobs, life-changing roles, making more money than they ever have. So that's been just exciting and rewarding to see," Albrecht says.

But Virginia's gain might be North Carolina's loss, as money flows across state lines.

SEE ALSO | People from North Carolina flock to opening of new temporary Virginia casino

"I know it bothers a lot of state lawmakers because when they see a casino, they see revenue. They see revenue that can go into state coffers. It can be used to lower taxes or put more money in different types of programs, and they want that revenue here," says NC political strategist Patrick Sebastian.

Opposition from some communities has stalled efforts in the legislature to legalize casinos in North Carolina.

"It looked like it was going to happen last year. It was moving very quickly and then all of a sudden it just kind of stopped," Sebastian says.