NEW KENT COUNTY, Va. — Jeanie was hoping to be lady luck tonight. The New Kent County resident has been waiting since 2014 for cheering to return to Colonial Downs.
"This is the wave of the future. Casinos are always going to bring crowds, always going to bring employment and they are going to bring us," said Jeanie.
Six hundred slot-like gaming machines can be found lighting up across three different floors.
"Penny, nickel, quarter, dollar, five dollars, so there is something here for everybody over 18 years old," said John Marshall, Senior Vice President of Rosie’s.
Marshall has opened up new gaming emporiums three different times before. He said the surrounding community hit the jackpot, beginning with 1,100 new jobs.
"And all three times we saw retail develop around the facility, we saw hotels, we saw restaurants and we see this new economy spawn," said Marshall.
Marshall said even if you don’t gamble, Rosie’s will be a central hub for all sorts of events throughout the year.
"Everything from cook-offs, to car shows, to those top-level concerts from entertainers that we all know," said Marshall.
A woman named Cynthia is ecstatic she no longer has to leave the state to partake in this kind of fun.
"I used to go to Maryland Live, MGM Baltimore, but now it’s like a 30-minute ride. I'm so excited, and I won tonight, so now I'm super excited,'' said Cynthia.
Rosie’s said this is just the beginning. Starting in August, live thoroughbred racing will return to Colonial Downs to go along with the simulcast racing already in place
"People, as we say in racing, are chomping at the bit to get back to the race track here and see horses,'' said Jill Byrne, Vice President of Racing Operations.
Bryne said it’s the live racing scene that will really put New Kent County in the winner’s circle.
"We will be offering this year $500,000 dollars a day, that puts us up there with Churchill Downs, with Saratoga, with Del Mar, the best racing in the country," said Bryne.