Published on: September 24, 2025, at 06:48h.
Updated on: September 22, 2025, at 12:15h.
- Rivers Casino Portsmouth prepares to maintain its leading position in casino entertainment for Hampton Roads.
- A new temporary casino is set to launch in Norfolk this September.
- Rivers Portsmouth is currently undergoing construction on its first on-site hotel.
Rivers Casino Portsmouth is about to lose its exclusive position in Virginia’s Hampton Roads casino market with the launch of The Interim Gaming Hall in Norfolk this fall.
To counter the impending competition, Rivers Portsmouth, which is owned and run by Rush Street Gaming from Chicago, revealed plans for a 106-key hotel with 32 luxury suites last May. Named The Landing Hotel, this facility aims to provide convenient lodging for casino patrons.
The Landing is part of Rush’s casino hotel chain, which includes other Landing Hotels at Rivers Casino Pittsburgh and Rivers Casino Schenectady in New York.
The Landing at Rivers Casino Portsmouth represents an investment of $65 million, following just over two years since the casino first opened adjacent to Tidewater Community College’s Portsmouth Campus in January 2023. Rivers was Virginia’s inaugural permanent casino.
Rivers Casino Portsmouth has proven a profitable venture for Rush Street Gaming. The casino generated $250 million in gross gaming revenue in 2023, which surged to $309 million in the following year, with even higher figures anticipated this year.
Upcoming Norfolk Casino
Portsmouth and Norfolk were chosen as two of the five cities in Virginia for casino developments, as authorized through legislation in 2020. Both cities secured approval for their casino projects via local ballot referendums during the November 2020 elections.
However, Norfolk’s casino faced numerous delays due to lawsuits, easement disputes, and funding issues. Boyd Gaming stepped in last year to take over the Harbor Park project.
Construction is ongoing for the $750 million resort, which will feature a 200-room hotel and a casino comparable in size to Rivers Portsmouth. Boyd plans to unveil a temporary casino adjacent to the Harbor Park baseball stadium in November.
New Management Position Filled
Gaming industry veteran Roy Corby played a crucial role in launching Rivers Casino Portsmouth. He managed the casino’s operations for its first two years until departing in June to join the Koi Nation in California, assisting in the establishment of an integrated resort casino in Sonoma County.
Now working with the Chickasaw Nation’s Global Gaming Solutions, Corby is involved in obtaining federal approval for the Shiloh Casino & Resort project, with the Chickasaw Nation lending its expertise to assist the Koi Nation’s casino endeavors in Northern California.
This week, Rush appointed Antonio Perez Jr. as Corby’s successor. He is transitioning from California, where he previously served as general manager of Rolling Hills Casino Resort. Rolling Hills is operated by the Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians and is situated in Tehama County, approximately 100 miles north of Sacramento.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Antonio to our expanding family of destination casinos,” stated Tim Drehkoff, CEO of Rush Street Gaming. “His extensive experience in team development, guest services, and operations—especially in managing hotels—makes him an outstanding choice to direct our Virginia facility.”
Before his tenure at Rolling Hills, Perez held positions with Penn Entertainment at various casino properties in West Virginia, Maine, Missouri, and Mississippi. His gaming career launched as a table game dealer and slot attendant in West Virginia.