VINTON, Va. – The new slots and entertainment venue at Rosie’s Gaming Emporium in Vinton is now open to the public.
More than doubling its size, the overall space grew from 15,000 square feet to 33,000 square feet and features a new high-limit gaming area, 350 new machines and even an entertainment stage that will feature live music Thursday through Saturday.
Craig Wood of Vinton was at Rosie’s on opening day in 2019 and returned for the grand re-opening, trying his luck at the new machines.
“They’re big. They’re fancy. They light up. They sparkle. They do everything! I love the one I’m playing,” Wood said.
General Manager Ernie Dellaverson said those bells and whistles are attracting people from across the region, turning Rosie’s and Vinton into a destination.
“We are starting to get draw from Blacksburg, Danville, north of us, even some from Charlottesville, so as we build this momentum and this whole entertainment component here. We are drawing folks from further and further away. I have some friends that work in West Virginia and they said, ‘Hey you’re taking some of my customers.’ I said, ‘I’m happy to take them and show them off to Vinton,’” Dellaverson said.
The venue has drawn so many people that Vinton’s first parking garage was built outside just for Rosie’s customers. The $28 million investment project includes increasing tax payments to the town and adding new jobs.
“It’s wonderful for the town of Vinton to have something like this. It’s amazing really,” Wood said, noting the charitable donations Rosie’s has made to the community.
Rosie’s made donations Wednesday to local nonprofits and organizations that include Mill Mountain Zoo, Children’s Assistive Technology Services, Vinton Historical Society, Marine Toys for Tots and even a $25,000 donation to the Vinton First Aid Crew.
Colonial Downs Group and Rosie’s have made direct monetary and in-kind donations of more than $1,375,000 and have logged over 2,500 service hours in Virginia communities to date.