DANVILLE, Va. – The Caesars Entertainment casino and resort complex is moving forward, step by step.
The company announced this week it has hired Marnell Companies to design and build the $400 million development at the former Dan River Mills Schoolfield site.
Marnell is known for designing casinos and Las Vegas attractions, most notably the Bellagio in Las Vegas.
Caesars plans to break ground on the entertainment complex later this year with an estimated completion date of 2023.
Although the site still looks as it did after the casino plans won approval from Danville voters this past November, city manager Ken Larking is encouraged by the progress behind the scenes.
“They have talked to us on a number of occasions on technical issues,” Larking said. “We feel like the ball is moving in the right direction. Every step of the way is exciting, because it gets us closer to getting the resort up and running.”
Business owner Rose Shields is also hopeful for the casino. Her business, Linden Rose Boutique, is right around the corner from the development, and she plans on hiring an extra employee when the Caesars complex opens.
“We’re doing an expansion in this building. We are preparing, when that casino is open, that we will grow even bigger than we are now,” Shields said. “We hit the jackpot, literally.”