Hotel and gaming resort planned for Dumfries

Casino style resort could be coming to Dumfries

Officials will be discussing a hotel and gaming resort planned for the town of Dumfries Tuesday night.

DUMFRIES. Va. - A $389 million hotel and gaming resort is planned for the town of Dumfries, according to town documents outlining the proposal set to be discussed Tuesday night.

The facility is being pitched by Colonial Downs, which owns a horse racing track in New Kent, Virginia and Rosie's Gaming Emporium, which opened in January in Dumfries.

The proposal calls for building a 79-acre public park, 50,000 square feet of gaming space for slot-like machines, 200 hotel rooms and 1500-seat theater on the current plot of the land which houses the Potomac Landfill of I-95 and Virginia Route 234.

Slated to open in January 2023, The Rose, could employ hundreds and bring entertainment and dining options as well to the town.

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A 2020 casino law in the Virginia Legislature and a voter-approved paved the way for slot-like machines known as historical horse racing.

"What I think this means for Dumfries now is people aren't going to drive through Dumfries, people are going to drive to Dumfries on purpose. We're gonna have things for people to do. We're building it around food and entertainment," said Derrick Wood, mayor of Dumfries.

The Dumfries town council will discuss the proposal Tuesday, but it is not expected to be voted on for several months.

In a statement to FOX 5, Colonial Downs spokesman Mark Hubbard said:

"Last session, the General Assembly passed bipartisan legislation to allow for casino gaming in five Virginia cities, while also allowing for a larger Rosie’s Gaming Emporium in the town of Dumfries. Since that time we have been working with public and private sector partners to put together a collaborative plan for a truly world class gaming, dining and entertainment facility in the town, while also creating acres of new open space and parks for area residents. We look forward to sharing our full proposal tomorrow night at the Dumfries Town Council meeting, and to sharing all the details about this transformative project with the community in the weeks and months ahead."