The Dumfries, Virginia town council will hold a public hearing September 21 about a rezoning and conditional use permit for Colonial Downs’ $389 million gaming and entertainment destination, called the Rose. The city planning commission recently voted 5-0 to approve the project.
The proposed venue would offer 175,000 square feet of gaming space featuring up to 1,800 historical horseracing machines, a 305-room hotel, eight restaurants, a 1,500-seat theatre and 80-acre park. Off-track betting also would be offered.
Planning Commissioner Lawrence Nickerson said, “We’ve got an applicant that’s going to bring economic growth to the community. And that’s going to benefit everyone that lives within the town. It’s also going to help people who don’t live within the town. I think this is a good thing for Dumfries.”
The Rose is expected to create more than 600 jobs with an average annual salary of $46,000. It’s projected to generate $11 million in annual local tax revenue for Dumfries and $8 million for Prince William County.
Phase one, expected to open in 2023, would include several restaurants, the gaming floor, 155 hotel rooms, parking garage and the park. Phase two, opening in 2025 or 2026, would include additional hotel rooms, restaurants, retail and a live theater.
Colonial Downs operates Rosie’s Gaming Emporium in a nearby shopping center, with 150 historical horseracing machines. Colonial Downs will move those machines to the Rose facility if the project is approved, and the city will use the Rosie’s property as a workforce development center.
Dumfries voters approved a ballot referendum allowing off-track betting and historical horseracing in November 2019. The ballot measure passed by 161 votes and allowed Colonial Downs to open Rosie’s the following year.
