Rivers Casino Portsmouth opening delayed

Rivers Casino Portsmouth‘s grand opening has been delayed until Jan. 23, eight days after its initially scheduled opening planned for Jan. 15, the casino announced Tuesday. The casino wanted to allow for additional time to test and verify new gaming equipment, a spokesperson for the casino said in an email. 

“Providing a superior guest experience is a top priority for Rivers Casino Portsmouth. Our intention is to be the entertainment destination of choice for Hampton Roads, and we’ll settle for nothing less. We apologize for any inconvenience and look forward to welcoming our guests very soon,” casino officials said in a statement. 

The “charity days” previously scheduled for Jan. 10 and 12 have been rescheduled to Jan. 19 and 21. 

The grand opening is now scheduled for 10 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 23.

The $340 million 250,000-square-foot casino will be operated by Chicago-based Rush Street Gaming. Construction began in December 2021. The entertainment venue, located along Victory Drive in Portsmouth, will feature 1,448 slot machines, 57 table games and 24 poker tables. It’s expected to bring $16.3 million in annual tax revenues to the city. When it opens, it will be the commonwealth’s first permanent casino, though a temporary casino has been open in Bristol since July 2022. Two other proposed casinos are in the pipeline in Danville and Norfolk.