Bruce Smith Enterprises, a Virginia Beach commercial real estate firm led by legendary NFL Hall of Famer and Virginia Tech alum Bruce Smith, and The Cordish Companies have been tapped by the City of Petersburg, Virginia to codevelop a new gaming & entertainment district anchored by Live! Casino & Hotel Virginia. , will be the first of its kind in the gaming and entertainment industry to have a minority-owned business enterprise as a co-development partner.
“A venture of such magnitude offers a historic opportunity to revivify this jewel of a city, and we are galvanized and ready to deliver a project that uplifts and radically restores the life-blood of Petersburg and its citizens,” said Smith, the NFL’s all-time sack leader, about the project.
Upon completion, the Live! Casino & Hotel Virginia resort destination will feature more than 400,000 square feet of first-class gaming, hotel and dining space and 35,000 square feet of meeting and convention space. The hotel will include 200 rooms and 20 suites, with a resort pool and fitness center. The casino will eventually hold 1,600 slot machines, 46 table games, a sportsbook, a 3,000-seat entertainment venue, and 8 best-in-class food and entertainment options.
The Cordish Companies also developed the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino locations in Hollywood and Tampa, Florida. It earned seven Urban Land Institute Awards for Excellence in recognition of its urban revitalization accomplishments, a feat that no other developer in the world has achieved.