This Virginia City Wants To Bring a Casino Resort to Town
Posted on: October 15, 2025, 03:04h.
Last updated on: October 15, 2025, 03:04h.
- City officials in Roanoke are exploring the possibility of hosting a casino
- Casino gambling in Virginia is currently limited to five cities
Virginia lawmakers and then-Gov. Ralph Northam (D) in 2020 authorized commercial casino gambling in select cities.
Today, casinos are authorized and/or operating in Portsmouth, Bristol, Danville, Norfolk, and Petersburg. A city in Southwest Virginia is seeking to become a sixth permissible host of slot machines and live dealer table games.
City officials in Roanoke surprised many when they revealed on Tuesday their intent to explore the possibility of bringing a casino to the Berglund Center. Opened in 1971, the city-owned and operated facility is an all-purpose arena that regularly hosts college and high school sports, including basketball and ice hockey, conventions, and special events like WWE and concerts.
As the new city manager, it was essential to begin assessing the city’s financial stability and overall assets, particularly the Berglund Center,” said Roanoke City Manager Valmarie Turner. “This initiative presents an opportunity to create an entertainment district that would significantly enhance tourism, stimulate economic growth, and generate increased revenue for both the city and the region — funds that can be reinvested in our neighborhoods, schools, public safety, and infrastructure.”
Three casinos are currently operating in Virginia — Rivers Casino Portsmouth, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Bristol, and Caesars Virginia in Danville. A temporary casino in Norfolk is slated to open next month. Work on a provisional gaming venue in Petersburgh is also underway
Mixed Reaction
Casinos are inherently controversial.
They generate new jobs, both construction and permanent positions, and have the opportunity to deliver state and local governments new tax streams. They can also lift up communities with direct and indirect economic activity. Critics often contend that casinos bring crime, lower property values, and can be a drain on local businesses.
Roanoke Mayor Joe Cobb said the city’s consideration of a casino is based on the need for new economic activity and to keep the Southwest Virginia city competitive in attracting major events and trade shows.
The goal for this project is to inspire economic growth through increased entertainment, dining, and lodging options, with a refurbished civic center,” Cobb explained. “As Roanoke continues our vibrant growth in economic innovation, we are excited about creating new opportunities for residents and tourists alike to explore our Star City.”
Cobb added that a casino destination could support the expansion of rail and airport service in Southwest Virginia.
Marc Nelson, Roanoke’s economic development director, said a casino could serve as a “catalyst for job creation across the region.”
“From hospitality to gaming to professional services, this is a unique opportunity,” Nelson said.
State Law Required
For Roanoke, an independent city, to ask residents to authorize casino gambling through a local ballot referendum, a change to state law is first needed. No state lawmaker has yet expressed a willingness to champion that fight.
A statute to qualify Roanoke for a casino referendum would likely face lobbying opposition from Caesars and Hard Rock, which respectively operate casinos in Danville and Bristol, roughly 50 and 130 air miles from Roanoke.
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