Create a Website Account - Manage notification subscriptions, save form progress and more.
- Home
- Government
- City Manager
- Casino Information
- Casino Funding
Casino Funding
Prior to the casino gambling referendum, the City proactively initiated a process to identify thoughtful, equitable, and community-driven solutions to use potential casino funds in a way that will make the most positive impact in Danville’s neighborhoods and communities. These funds would give the City a rare opportunity to both ensure the City’s long-term fiscal sustainability and make priority investments designed to increase Danville’s overall economic competitiveness. An 11-member Investing in Danville Citizens Advisory Committee was created and consisted of residents, local stakeholders, and community leaders to inform, guide and champion the Investing in Danville process.
Drawing from the input of residents, the Citizen Advisory Committee, and city leadership, the Investing in Danville: A Public Driven Plan Memo was released December of 2020, with an update in 2023. Eight investment areas were identified as potential investment options. These eight areas were:
- City Infrastructure
- Public Education
- Economic Opportunity
- Long-Term Financial Stability
- Quality of Life
- Quality of Housing
- Public Safety
- Community Health
Below is an overview of the funding the City of Danville has received from our agreement with Caesars and from the Casino Gaming Tax revenue. Summaries of investments in the eight areas identified by the Investing in Danville Plan follow. This information will be updated as investments are made.
Casino Funding in the Proposed Budget
Information on the use of Casino revenues in the FY 2026 Proposed Budget can be found in the following document:
Casino Revenues Overview
| Revenue Sources | FY 2023 Actual | FY 2024 Actual | FY 2025 Budgeted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caesars Virginia Minimum Gaming Fee | $771,523.37 | $6,833,813.74 | $8,700,000.00 |
| Casino Gaming Tax | $1,851,656.09 | $13,833,813.75 | $16,300,000.00 |
| Total Revenues | $2,623,179.46 | $20,667,627.49 | $25,000,000.00 |
Casino Expenditures Overview
| Spending Area | FY 2023 Actual | FY 2024 Actual | FY 2025 Budgeted | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operations | - | $4,579,750.00 | $4,528,920.00 | ||||
| Community Health | - | - | $2,049,206.00 | ||||
| Economic Opportunity | - | $3,434,008.66 | $6,461,003.00 | ||||
| City Infrastructure | - | $1,000,000.00 | $1,842,999.00 | ||||
| Long-Term Financial Stability | $2,623,179.46 | $5,669,262.07 | $2,091,350.00 | ||||
| Public Education | - | $2,805,130.00 | $1,760,740.00 | ||||
| Public Safety | - | $1,294,944.05 | $4,102,866.00 | ||||
| Quality of Housing | - | $884,532.71 | $700,000.00 | ||||
| Quality of Life | - | $1,000,000.00 | $1,462,916.00 | ||||
Total Expenditures | $2,623,179.46 | $20,667,627.49 | $25,000,000.00 | ||||
Details of Casino Funding Expenditures
| Spending Area | Description | Detail | FY 2023 Actual | FY 2024 Actual | FY 2025 Budgeted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operations | Implementation of New Pay Plan | Funded a new pay plan for city employees setting pay at 100% of the market. | - | $4,579,750.00 | - |
| Operations | Pay for Performance | Funded the cost of Pay for Performance increases for employees. | - | - | $2,491,920.00 |
| Operations | Health Insurance Increase | Funded the increased cost of health insurance for employees. | - | - | $1,277,320.00 |
| Operations | DPS Salaries & Benefits - Bonuses | Funded the cost of bonuses for Danville Public School employees. | - | - | $285,630.00 |
| Operations | DPS Salaries & Benefits - Health Insurance | Funded the increased cost of health insurance for Danville Public School employees. | - | $474,050.00 | |
Operations Total | Note: Up to $5 million per year can be used for operations because of the guaranteed minimum payment from Caesars. | $ - | $ 4,579,750.00 | $ 4,528,920.00 | |
| Community Health | Park Improvements | Funds the ongoing upgrades, renovations, and additions to Parks and Recreation outdoor facilities. | - | - | $879,206.00 |
| Community Health | Riverwalk Trail | Funds repairs and maintenance to the Riverwalk Trail and includes repaving, storm damage and erosion issues and other related trail maintenance issues. | - | - | $1,170,000.00 |
Community Health Total | $ - | $ - | $ 2,049,206.00 | ||
| Economic Opportunity | Tourism Expansion | Funds the City's share of the Tourism program. | - | $508,587.66 | $788,800.00 |
| Economic Opportunity | Support of Danville-Pittsylvania RIFA | Funds the City's support of the Danville-Pittsylvania County Regional Industrial Facility Authority operational costs. | - | - | $25,000.00 |
| Economic Opportunity | Comprehensive Plan | Funded a portion of the cost of the Plan Danville Comprehensive planning process. | - | $105,000.00 | - |
| Economic Opportunity | Dan River Falls (Commercial Condo) | Funds the construction of the commercial spaces in the Dan River Falls building. | - | - | $893,888.00 |
| Economic Opportunity | Historic District Property Acquisition | Funds costs of unanticipated acquisition of property in the Historic Districts. | - | $200,000.00 | |
| Economic Opportunity | Community Business Launch | Funds the Community Business Launch program. | - | $75,000.00 | $130,000.00 |
| Economic Opportunity | Enterprise Zone Investment Grants | Funds the City's Enterprise Zone Grant Program. | - | $144,250.00 | $264,500.00 |
| Economic Opportunity | Façade Grant Program | Funds the River District Association Façade Grant Program. | - | $125,000.00 | $125,000.00 |
| Economic Opportunity | Historic District Development Grant | Provides incentive funds used as a deal closer for unidentified Historic River District real estate redevelopment projects that may present themselves during the fiscal year and require rapid response from the Economic Development team. | - | $125,000.00 | - |
| Economic Opportunity | Historic District Enhancement Grant | Provides incentive funds used as a deal closer for unidentified Historic River District projects that may present themselves during the fiscal year and require rapid response from the Economic Development team. | - | $100,000.00 | $100,000.00 |
| Economic Opportunity | Litehouse Industrial Enhancement Grant | Funded the Economic Development Incentive for Litehouse. | - | $144,480.00 | $144,479.00 |
| Economic Opportunity | Small Business Support TAG Program | Funds the Financial Literacy Program and Marketing Program for small businesses along with incentives for participants. | - | - | $60,000.00 |
| Economic Opportunity | Visit SoSi Tourism Sponsorship | Funded the Visit SoSi Tourism Sponsorship Program, which provided grant funds for events that bring visitors to the community. | - | $100,000.00 | $100,000.00 |
| Economic Opportunity | International Recruitment | Funds costs associated with enhancing our ability to recruit industries from other countries to our community. | - | $100,000.00 | $75,000.00 |
| Economic Opportunity | North Main Hill Property Acquisition and Renovation | Funds the cost of debt service payments, planning and development. | - | $150,000.00 | $300,000.00 |
| Economic Opportunity | IDA Property Maintenance | Funds the cost to maintain property owned by the Industrial Development Authority. | - | $100,000.00 | $200,000.00 |
| Economic Opportunity | Schoolfield Property Acquisition and Renovation | Funds the cost of debt service payments, planning and development. | - | $240,000.00 | - |
| Economic Opportunity | Lynn Street Parking Deck | Funded the cost to conduct studies and design a parking structure on Lynn Street. | - | $330,000.00 | $1,030,000.00 |
| Economic Opportunity | Cyber Park Shell Building Debt Service | Funds the cost of debt service payments for a jointly-owned shell building on property adjacent to the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research. | - | $150,000.00 | $150,000.00 |
| Economic Opportunity | Industrial Land Debt Service | Funds the cost of debt service payments, planning, and development of industrial land. | - | $300,000.00 | $500,000.00 |
| Economic Opportunity | eBio Renovations Debt Service | Funds the cost of debt service payments for property renovations. | - | $100,000.00 | - |
| Economic Opportunity | Schoolfield Corridor Development | The development agreement with Caesars Virginia called for a certain portion of the guaranteed revenue from Caesars to be dedicated to improvements in the corridor along Business 29 to Caesars and from there down West Main and Main Street to the River District. | - | $91,691.00 | $185,000.00 |
| Economic Opportunity | Spring Street (Belk Building) Parking Deck | Funds debt service payments for a parking deck on Spring Street behind the former Belk Building that faces Main Street. | - | - | $889,336.00 |
| Economic Opportunity | Visitor Center Maintenance and Renovations | Funded the cost of upgrades to the interior and grounds surrounding the Visitor Center off the US 29 Bypass. | - | $245,000.00 | - |
| Economic Opportunity | Zoning & Development Code Change | Funds the cost updating the City's zoning and development code to make it consistent with the Plan Danville Comprehensive Plan. The goal is to make our land development ordinances more user and business-friendly. | - | - | $500,000.00 |
Economic Opportunity Total | $ - | $ 3,434,008.66 | $ 6,461,003.00 | ||
| City Infrastructure | City-wide Wayfinding/Signage | Funds new wayfinding and gateway signage that is consistent with the new City brand. | - | - | $182,380.00 |
| City Infrastructure | Neighborhood Street Resurfacing Program | The City receives some money from VDOT to pay for street resurfacing. These funds allow for an additional $1 million of resurfacing within neighborhoods. The first year of funding was used primarily in the Almagro neighborhood. | - | - | $1,000,000.00 |
| City Infrastructure | Airport Corporate Hangar (80x80) | Funded cost to construct an 80' x 80' hangar that is located adjacent to the planned 12,000 square foot aviation training facility that will be used by both Averett University and the Danville Community College for flight instruction and aviation maintenance training activities. | - | - | $97,800.00 |
| City Infrastructure | Airport Obstruction Removal | Funded the cost to remove trees causing an aerial obstruction. | - | - | $62,819.00 |
| City Infrastructure | City Hall Finance 3rd Floor Renovation | Funds design services for the historic renovation of the third floor of City Hall, which will house the Finance Department. | - | - | $200,000.00 |
| City Infrastructure | City Hall 2nd Floor Renovation | Funds design services for the historic renovation of the second floor of City Hall, which houses the Community Development Department and the Engineering Division of Public Works. | - | - | $300,000.00 |
| City Infrastructure | West Main Street Undergrounding | Funded a portion of the cost to underground overhead utility infrastructure on West Main Street in Schoolfield. | - | $1,000,000.00 | |
City Infrastructure Total | $ - | $ 1,000,000.00 | $ 1,842,999.00 | ||
| Long-Term Financial Stability | Grant Administrator | Funds the costs to have a Grants Administrator on staff. This position helps departments leverage casino funds to match available grant funds for projects. | - | - | $91,350.00 |
| Long-Term Financial Stability | IDA Debt Reduction | Funds the cost to pay off IDA bonds issued for economic development projects. | - | $4,000,000.00 | $2,000,000.00 |
| Long-Term Financial Stability | Reserved Fund Balance | Adds funds to the General Fund Reserved Fund Balance. | $2,623,179.46 | $1,669,262.07 | - |
Long-Term Financial Stability Total | $2,623,179.46 | $5,669,262.07 | $2,091,350.00 | ||
| Public Education | Behavior Specialists | Funds the cost of three Behavior Specialist positions for Danville Public Schools. | - | $275,430.00 | - |
| Public Education | Bus Aides/Monitors | Funds the cost of Bus Aides that support bus drivers in supervising students and addressing emergencies. | - | - | $170,740.00 |
| Public Education | Early College/Dual Enrollment Program | Funds the cost of providing a 2 year program for rising juniors that allows students to earn college credits at DCC while fulfilling high school credit requirements. | - | $559,550.00 | |
| Public Education | Salaries & Benefits - Raises | Funds additional pay increases for SOQ (Standards of Quality) and non-SOQ positions. | - | $1,416,730.00 | $471,080.00 |
| Public Education | Implement $14 minimum wage | Funds the cost to increase the minimum wage for Danville Public School employees to move toward the State mandate. | - | $861,120.00 | - |
| Public Education | Security Officers | Funds the cost to continue to provide School Security Officers for elementary schools. | - | - | $519,370.00 |
| Public Education | Summer Internship Program | Funds the cost to support the IALR Summer Internship Program which includes up to 13 internship opportunities across nine fields. | - | $251,850.00 | $40,000.00 |
Public Education Total | $ - | $ 2,805,130.00 | $ 1,760,740.00 | ||
| Public Safety | Gang & Violence Prevention Program | Funds the City's portion of the cost for the Youth Violence Prevention program. | - | $338,244.05 | $526,631.00 |
| Public Safety | Police Headquarters Lease | Funds the lease payments for the New Police Headquarters at 1 Community Way. | - | $845,000.00 | $965,100.00 |
| Public Safety | Police Headquarters Mortgage | Funds the debt service payments for the New Police Headquarters at 1 Community Way. | - | - | $546,890.00 |
| Public Safety | Fire Apparatus and Equipment Replacement | Funded the cost of accessories for the ladder truck purchased as part of the casino agreement. | - | $111,700.00 | - |
| Public Safety | Police Tasers/Body-worn Cameras | Funded the cost of hardware, storage, maintenance and replacement contract for Police body word cameras and tasers. | - | - | $262,000.00 |
| Public Safety | Public Safety Systems | Funded the cost to replace the public safety software solution. | - | - | $1,100,000.00 |
| Public Safety | Fire Station Building Improvements | Funded the cost of building parking lot improvements at fire stations. | - | - | $702,245.00 |
Public Safety Total | $ - | $ 1,294,944.05 | $ 4,102,866.00 | ||
| Quality of Housing | Inspection Personnel for New Rental District | Funds the salaries and benefits for two Property Maintenance Inspectors assigned to the new fourth and fifth residential rental housing inspection districts established by City Council on July 18, 2023. | - | $84,532.71 | - |
| Quality of Housing | Demolitions | Funds the cost to demolish buildings determined to be unsafe and a public safety hazard. | - | $300,000.00 | $350,000.00 |
| Quality of Housing | Blight Removal | Funds the cost to remediate/renovate blighted buildings. | - | $500,000.00 | $350,000.00 |
Quality of Housing Total | $ - | $ 884,532.71 | $ 700,000.00 | ||
| Quality of Life | Park Maintenance Personnel | Funds the cost of additional parks maintenance positions necessary to maintain new splash pads and additional parks throughout the City. | - | - | $97,916.00 |
| Quality of Life | Fine Arts Museum Improvements | Funded the cost to make additional repairs and improvements to the building exterior and gardens. | - | - | $75,000.00 |
| Quality of Life | Riverfront Park | Funds a portion of the cost to construct the Riverfront Park. | - | - | $1,000,000.00 |
| Quality of Life | Parks Equipment | Funded the cost to replace the mower at Dan Daniel Memorial Park used to mow all athletic fields within the park including American Legion Stadium. | - | - | $90,000.00 |
| Quality of Life | Splash Pads | Funds a portion of the cost to construct splash pads. | - | $1,000,000.00 | - |
| Quality of Life | Arts Commission | Funds costs associated with the Public Arts Commission, including grants, public art, and staffing. | - | - | $200,000.00 |
Quality of Life Total | $ - | $ 1,000,000.00 | $ 1,462,916.00 | ||
Total Expenditures | $2,623,179.46 | $20,667,627.49 | $25,000,000.00 |