HENRICO COUNTY, Va. β Roseshire gaming parlor opened its doors Monday morning in Henrico County despite opposition from local leaders who fought to prevent the new facility from launching so quickly.
Located in the Staples Mill Shopping Center, the parlor features a restaurant, live music and 175 historical horse racing terminals.
Parent company Churchill Downs invested $35 million to build Roseshire and expects it to create around 100 jobs.
Shirley Laverne McMillan of Chesterfield County and Takka Dixon of Henrico were among the people who stood in line before doors opened.
"I am so excited about. I was always going to the one of Midlothian, but now this one's right here. Right around the corner from the house," Dixon said. "Here's a place where we can have fun. We can enjoy ourselves. Nice, clean fun.
However, this opening was something some county and state leaders had tried to prevent, wanting to put the project to a voter referendum first.
Days before the county approved legislation that would have required a referendum, the company submitted its paperwork for the parlor and says they were in compliance under a 1992 referendum approved by Henrico voters for off-track betting. Lawmakers tried to force a new referendum through the state budget, but it was blocked by Governor Glenn Youngkin.
None of those local leaders were on-hand Monday morning when doors opened.
The parlor's general manager said in a statement about the opening that "Roseshire is Henrico's newest destination for fun, excitement, and luxury."
Now that the facility has begun operation, they will be open seven days a week, from 8 a.m. to midnight.
CBS 6 is committed to sharing community voices on this important topic. Email your thoughts to the CBS 6 Newsroom.
π²: CONNECT WITH US
Blue Sky | Facebook | Instagram | X | Threads | TikTok | YouTube
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy. To learn more about how we use AI in our newsroom, click here.
