DANVILLE, Va. – Danville leaders are seeing big opportunities with the new Caesars Casino opening next year.
The hope is that other large businesses will want to locate in the area as well.
“This was my 30-year dream,” Cheryl Southerland, owner of Main Street Collective in Danville said.
Southerland sells artistic jewelry, paintings, and greeting cards.
Her business sits on Main Street and she says she’s seen a difference from when she opened in 2018.
“There’s at least one grand opening a month in Danville, so it’s very exciting,” Southerland said.
River District Association leaders say the city invested about $50 million in 2010 and 2011, and they say now private investment jumped over $300 million.
“It’s a gamble but there are choices, you can do something, or do nothing,” Diana Schwartz with the River District Association said.
Schwartz said there are several multi-million dollar investment projects in the area.
The former fabrics plant is being renovated into a mixed-used facility which is about $85 million.
She also says there is another $8 million investment to transform a portion of the riverfront into a park with an amphitheater.
To help small businesses, Schwartz says there are several initiatives. One helps entrepreneurs ensure they’re successful.
She says since 2018, more than 60 businesses have opened in downtown Danville.
“It just keeps expanding, we have so many people coming to look at downtown Danville, it’s a wonderful thing,” Schwartz said.
Danville City Manager Ken Larking says the city is expected to get $12 million in gaming tax from Caesars Casino.
“It’s really important we’ve been doing a lot of significant work in Danville,” Larking said.
Larking said $2.8 million will help continue economic development initiatives — like incentivizing businesses to come downtown, set up in industrial sites, and fixing blighted properties.
He says having the casino gaming tax helps the city not use money from savings.
“We’re going to be able to put all our efforts that have been so successful over the last few years on steroids and hopefully accelerate our success,” Larking said.