Live! Casino & Hotel Virginia in Petersburg topped off its 12-story hotel tower on Thursday, Oct. 8, with state and local officials joining developers The Cordish Companies and Bruce Smith Enterprise to celebrate the construction milestone.

Live! Casino & Hotel Virginia is a $600 million investment led by Baltimore-based Cordish, which is expanding its Mid-Atlantic footprint that already includes casinos in Maryland and Pennsylvania. Cordish and Bruce Smith, an NFL legend and Virginia native, are betting big on Central Virginia on the belief that Petersburg can become a destination roughly 25 minutes south of Richmond and 45 minutes north of the North Carolina border.

“No longer will people be driving past Petersburg. They will be making plans to come to Petersburg,” Smith said, as reported by the Richmond Times-Dispatch . “We’re not going to let you down.”

Developers confirmed construction remains on schedule for a late 2027 grand opening. The permanent resort is rising adjacent to Interstate 95 at Wagner Road.

Since late January 2026, Cordish and Smith have operated a temporary Petersburg casino inside a pavilion tent that features 926 slot machines and 32 live dealer table games.

The casino generated gross gaming revenue (GGR) of $14.2 million in August, pushing the interim facility past $100 million in year-to-date casino win. The permanent casino will feature many more gaming positions, with over 1,600 slots, 70 tables, a 35-table poker room, and a full sportsbook.

Over its first decade of operation, developers project Live! Casino & Hotel Virginia will generate $2.8 billion in regional economic stimulus and $504 million in total tax revenues, including $240 million dedicated to the City of Petersburg. The resort is expected to create 1,600 permanent jobs with average annual compensation of around $70,000—well above the city’s per capita income.

“We look forward to delivering a project that will generate new jobs, attract significant tourism, drive economic opportunity, and serve as a catalyst for the region for decades to come,” Cordish added.