Opening of Temporary Live! Casino Virginia in Petersburg Delayed Until January 2026
Posted on: November 25, 2025, 04:32h.
Last updated on: November 24, 2025, 03:32h.
- Live! Casino & Hotel Virginia in Petersburg will open a temporary casino in January 2026
- The provisional gaming space was initially scheduled to open before the end of the year
The temporary gaming facility at Live! Casino & Hotel Virginia in Petersburg won’t open before the year’s end, as was originally planned.
The Cordish Companies and its local development partner, Bruce Smith Enterprise, had planned to open a 75K-square-foot climate-controlled pavilion tent housing a temporary casino before the end of the year. Now, they say the provisional gaming space that houses approximately 900 slot machines and 33 live dealer table games will go “live” on Jan. 22, 2026.
After years of planning, we’re thrilled to see this vision become reality. When Live! Casino Virginia opens its doors, central Virginia will experience something truly exceptional — the region’s first full-scale casino featuring the electrifying energy of Vegas-style slots, live-action table games, and the signature excitement only Live! can deliver,” said Rob Norton, president of Cordish Gaming.
The casino tent is situated adjacent to the construction site of the forthcoming resort just off Interstate 95 at Wagner Road.
Petersburg Casino Development
The $600 million first phase of the permanent development includes a 200-key hotel and a casino floor with 1,600 slots, 60 tables, and a sportsbook. Eight restaurants and bars, a pool complex, a fitness center, a 4,000-seat theater, and convention space are among the planned amenities. The permanent Live! Casino & Hotel Virginia is slated to open in 2027.
Cordish and Bruce Smith have subsequent development plans should phase one be a success. They include $800 million in further projects, including mixed-use undertakings such as residential units, office space, retail shops, a grocery store, and a public park.
Cordish and Bruce Smith secured gaming access in Virginia during the 2024 November elections, where voters in Petersburg approved of their resort bid through a local ballot referendum. After voters in Richmond twice voted against a casino, with more affluent neighborhoods in the capital region blamed for the defeats, Virginia lawmakers moved the casino license opportunity about 25 miles south to Petersburg, where there was much wider community support.
The Petersburg referendum went Cordish and Bruce Smith’s way, as more than eight in 10 votes cast were in support of Live! Virginia.
Cordish is no stranger to Virginia, as the company assisted Norfolk in redeveloping its Waterside District. Cordish unsuccessfully sued Norfolk after it was bypassed for the city’s casino designation. Cordish also unsuccessfully bid to become Richmond’s preferred casino partner.
Cordish operates casinos in Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Louisiana. In less than two months, Cordish will add a fourth state in Virginia.
Bruce Smith Partnership
Bruce Smith is an NFL Hall of Famer who has embarked on a successful real estate career since retiring from the gridiron.
The Norfolk native played for the Virginia Tech Hokies and spent the bulk of his NFL career with the Buffalo Bills, where he went on to become among the best defensive ends to ever play the game. Today, Smith calls Virginia Beach home, but he’s built hotels and residential complexes from Washington, DC, to Blacksburg, Va., since founding his real estate firm more than two decades ago.
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