Gamblers and horse-racing fans now have a new place in NoVA to gather. The grand opening at the Rose gaming facility in Dumfries is Thursday.
Churchhill Downs Inc. invested $460 million to develop the 24-hour gaming business and 102-room hotel complex on Colonial Street. The facility is the company’s largest in Virginia. Churchhill Downs runs seven off-track betting locations under the Rosie’s Gaming Emporium brand. It has another site in Dumfries, plus locations in Collinsville, Emporia, Hampton, New Kent, Richmond, and Vinton.
The Rose quietly opened its doors in October. Its official ribbon-cutting is set for Thursday. The Rose has a casino, off-track betting room, two sit-down restaurants, and a food court with six eateries.
“We are tied with horse racing and we support the horse racing industry in the state,” says Bobbi Sample, general manager of The Rose.
The casino features 1,650 historical horse racing terminals.
“They are a little different than traditional slot machines,” says Sample. “A traditional slot machine selects numbers from a random number generator. Our machines work on historical horse races so the results are what determine the winners. One of the benefits to our customers of that is that you can win larger jackpots at our facility than you can at a traditional casino.”
The terminals work on pari-mutuel wagering. “More wagering that’s going on in that pool, the larger your jackpots will be,” says Sample, adding that there have been six-figure wins at the Rosie’s Gaming Emporium in Dumfries.
The off-track betting room will simulcast races from across the country between noon and midnight.
Churchhill Downs owns Colonial Downs, Virginia’s only thoroughbred track, located in New Kent. Sixteen extra days of racing at Colonial Downs in 2025 may be tied to The Rose, provided the Virginia Racing Commission approves them.
Sample, who spoke during a recent media tour of The Rose, says The Rose is projected to make $200 million in gross revenue in its first year, before taxes and expenses.
The projected tax revenue for the state is $35.5 million annually, with Dumfies receiving a portion of that.
Sample says the two Dumfries gaming spots have about 500 employees, with supervisory positions making at least $20 per hour and non-tipped employees making $15 per hour.
Food at The Rose
The Rose has a steakhouse called 1609 and a sports bar named The Playbook. In its food court, you can get grab-and-go meals. The court has a Mamma Mia’s Italian Kitchen, Southern Spin Kitchen, R’ Burger, Crabtastic Cajun Seafood Kitchen, Lobby Bar, and coffeehouse Corner Store.
The food court is inside the hotel entrance, so those who are not old enough to gamble are allowed to eat there.
The Rose’s Hotel
The six-floor hotel has 90 standard rooms and 12 suites. On its first floor, guests will have access to a conference center, four meeting rooms, and a fitness room. Rooms start at $219 a night.
The property also will have 62 acres of green space, including a 7-acre park with a playground, dog park, and playing fields. The green space is still under construction.
The gaming resort is located at 17680 Colonial St. in Dumfries.
Emily Sohl contributed to this story.
Feature image by Emily Sohl
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