Rivers Casino Portsmouth Opening Set For Jan. 15

We now know a date — and a time — for the Rivers Portsmouth Casino opening.

Once customers place bets beginning at 3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 15, Rivers Portsmouth will become the first full-service permanent casino in Virginia.

“In the coming weeks, we’ll remain laser-focused on continued hiring and training efforts,”  casino GM Roy Corby said in a statement released Monday.

Corby also said he wants to ensure the team is “ready to deliver a first-rate customer experience when our doors open in January.”

The doors will stay open once those first customers arrive. The casino operators in Virginia promise a “24/7/365” schedule in Portsmouth. Rush Street Gaming CEO Tim Drehkoff added:

“We’re grateful to the Virginia Lottery Board, the City of Portsmouth, and the Hampton Roads community for their continued support. It’s been exciting to watch the building go up, and we’re eager for the public to see what’s inside.”

Details came together quickly

Developers will go from a groundbreaking to first bets in the span of only 13 months.

The $340 million casino will be part of an entertainment district along Victory Blvd. The site is just south of I-264.

“This is truly an exciting time for the citizens of Portsmouth — particularly as it relates to job growth and the overall economic vitality of our great city,” Portsmouth Mayor Shannon Glover said at the start of the project. “We are pleased to also create new business opportunities and introduce an entirely new industry to Portsmouth.”

Visitors who come to the Rivers Casino Portsmouth opening will need to line up lodging elsewhere if they plan an extended stay. The new casino will not have a hotel early on.

Lodging may be a key addition down the road. Rivers Casino Portsmouth will have an event center, a 25,000-square-foot grand hall and a reception area.

The venue will host weddings and galas, conventions and expos, meetings and conferences — and headline performers. So, it makes since to build hotel suites in the future.

What to expect at the Rivers Casino Portsmouth opening

Rivers Casino Portsmouth will feature:

• 57 table games
• 1,448 slot machines
• 24 poker tables in a dedicated poker room and
• Topgolf Swing Suites, which overlook the sportsbook area at the casino.

Fans can place sports bets from anywhere in Virginia. But visitors who like a fun place to bet on — then watch a — game are in luck. BetRivers Sportsbook has a spot at the casino. It will feature “the largest high-def screens in Hampton Roads,” sportswriter windows plus 27 self-serve betting kiosks.

Expect 10 new restaurants and bars at Rivers Casino Portsmouth, including:

• high-end dining at Admiral’s Steak and Seafood
• casual dining at Crossings Café and
• Asian cuisine at Mian; plus, Slice Pizzeria, Starbucks and
• the Sound Bar, an intimate stage and lounge area. It will host local bands, DJs, and more.