Rosie’s Gaming in Dumfries to close in August

Rosie’s Gaming Emporium in Dumfries, which opened in 2021, is set to close this month, the Virginia Racing Commission announced Thursday.

Owned by Colonial Downs Group, the venue is shutting down on Aug. 20. The Rose Gaming Resort satellite wagering facility opened in the town in Prince William County in November 2024. Rosie’s 50 employees will move to The Rose, according to the letter, and Colonial Downs Group will surrender its state license to operate the Dumfries Rosie’s.

Colonial Downs, a subsidiary of Churchill Downs, notified the VRC, which oversees pari-mutuel wagering and horse racing for the state, of the closing on July 18, according to the commission’s statement.

The company, which owns and operates six other Rosie’s locations in Virginia and The Rose, as well as the Colonial Downs racecourse in New Kent County, must submit detailed plans addressing provisions for employees, honoring all winning tickets and player points for patrons, and consultation with local stakeholders.

The VRC board plans to hold a public hearing and then vote on surrendering the license, and the process is separate from the closing of the venue.

“An operator’s business decision to close does not end its obligations to Virginia or its patrons. Our role is to enforce those obligations,” VRC Executive Secretary Waqas Ahmed said in a statement, “and that a comprehensive plan is executed that protects the interests of every stakeholder.”