PORTSMOUTH, Va. — Seven new businesses are set to fill Rivers Casino Portsmouth, a gaming and entertainment complex that's opening in 2023 and expected to bring big economic benefits to the city.
Roy Corby, the general manager of the casino, announced those businesses Tuesday morning. The casino will feature familiar and Portsmouth-exclusive businesses:
- Admiral’s Steak & Seafood
- Starbucks
- Topgolf Swing Suite
- Mian
- Slice Pizzeria
- Crossings Café
- BetRivers Sportsbook
“This is going to be a destination and we’re going to make sure that as it succeeds, so will our city continue to grow and prosper," Mayor Shannon Glover said.
The announcement comes as workers inch closer to the completion of the casino, after breaking ground in December 2021.
“We look inside the community to see what the offerings are, get a feel for visiting the restaurant types," Corby said. "Just getting a feel for what the community is seeing.”
Corby said of the 1,300 permanent jobs set to come to Portsmouth, these businesses will develop about 300 jobs. The casino is holding several job fairs to fill those positions.
“Currently in our dealer school, we have over 200 people going through that class now," he said. "We have several hundred people currently in the application pipeline and each job fair just brings out more people.”
Corby said many of the people applying are from the Hampton Roads area. About 40 percent of the applicants live in Portsmouth.
“We’re going to build new friends, we’re going to have new members come to the Portsmouth family," Mayor Glover said. "So this is, not only in Portsmouth, but we want to attract folks from the region and all over the country.”
On Saturday, the casino has two job fairs scheduled to fill those positions. The event runs from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Portsmouth Sportsplex.
The second takes place on Sept. 28 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Virginia Beach, Norfolk Hotel and Conference Center.