Construction on the new Live! Casino & Hotel Virginia in Petersburg is moving forward.
Work started on the $1.4 billion Petersburg casino after a groundbreaking event in March. A temporary casino is planned to open by the end of the year, and the full casino resort will open in 2027.
Live! Petersburg Casino Resort is also working with Richard Bland College to start a 12-week program to train casino dealers, beginning September 8, 2025.
The development was approved for zoning permits after approximately 80% voted in favor of the casino last November. All of this is happening while lawmakers continue to discuss whether or not to legalize online casinos in Old Dominion.
Casino Dealer School Begins September 8
Live! Casino and Richard Bland College are creating a free dealer school at the college’s Workforce & Career Center.
The 12-week course starts September 8, 2025, for the first 100 students. It requires a small fee for a blackjack kit. The course will teach table games (starting with blackjack), customer service, gaming rules, and responsible gambling.
Enrollees should refresh their math skills before taking a basic math test.
Graduates can apply for jobs at Live! Casino Virginia, but they must meet state rules like age, education, drug tests, and background checks.
When Will The Petersburg Casino Be Finished?
This is a massive project that includes a temporary casino with 900 slot machines and 33 table games, opening by late 2025.
The Live! Casino Resort also has big plans.
It will have over 400,000 square feet for gaming, hotel rooms, and dining. There will also be 35,000 square feet for meetings and events. Visitors can stay in a high-end hotel with 200 rooms, including 20 fancy suites. The resort will also have a pool and a modern fitness center.
The permanent casino, hotel, entertainment center, and other features will be built in later stages, with everything opening in 2027.
The resort will eventually have 1,600 slot machines, 65 table games, a luxury hotel, an entertainment center, and convention space, all of which will boost Petersburg's economy and create jobs.
Petersburg Casino Expected to Have Significant Economic Impact
The Live! project is expected to add $10 billion to the local economy over ten years, creating many jobs and funding new public services through taxes.
The development will also impact the community in other ways, including:
- Yearly money for important community groups and others that help with education, healthcare, affordable housing, and parks in the city.
- Programs for job training, mentoring, internships, and covering tuition costs through colleges and vocational schools to help people find local jobs and grow in their careers.
- Building projects and business opportunities for local companies, including those owned by minorities, women, and veterans.
The dealer school is a chance to prepare local residents for well-paying casino jobs, supporting Petersburg's workforce development.
Live! Casino Virginia is looking to hire for permanent casino and hotel jobs.
The ongoing construction and partnership are signs of fast growth for entertainment and job opportunities in Petersburg, offering significant benefits to the people who live there and the businesses that they own.
