Petersburg hosts business roundtable ahead of casino customer influx

PETERSBURG, Va. (WRIC) -- The Petersburg business community is preparing for an influx of tens of thousands of visitors when the temporary Live! Casino opens there in January 2026.

On Monday, city leaders held a business roundtable to prepare local businesses to make Petersburg "the destination of the Richmond region," when the casino opens in less than two months.

"We want this to be the most amazing experience possible," said Demetrius Frazier, owner of Resist Booksellers in Old Town Petersburg. Frazier said he's on board with city's plan, and hopes to continuing seeing improvements that will attract a new customer base from the casino.

"We've seen a lot of changes. Beautification has been a major priority, safety has been a priority," Frazier said.

City leaders are hoping to see up to 50,000 visitors every month. To help welcome them, they've made investments in improving curb appeal through flower beds and new trash cans. Sidewalks were power washed. About 30,000 holiday lights were put up downtown around city hall. And, the new visitor center at South Side Depot will open Dec. 12.

But there's more work to be done.

"What we can do for or visitors that are visiting Petersburg right now, is to be able to have a lot of our local businesses be ready for the influx of visitors coming through," said Penny Parayo, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Live! Virginia.

Pending regulatory approval, when the temporary casino opens in January, it will only have a small food and drink area. The full casino and resort isn't set to be ready until 2027.

Vice Mayor Darrin Hill said local businesses need to take advantage of that period.

"During that time, that's like a sweet spot for us to get all our businesses' names out," Hill said. "With the community, and with the visitors, with those people who are going to be touring our city."

Frazier said he's already seen positive changes in his business community. He said they want to make the city inviting for those coming from Richmond and beyond.

"They've taken 30 minutes to an hour out of their time to come to Petersburg," Frazier said. "What I've seen, the investments that the business owners have done, is [say], what can I do to make the seating better, make the food better, make the vibes better. And I think that's what people who are from outside Petersburg should know, is that we're trying to make this worth your while."

Hill said there will be more roundtables and opportunities for collaboration in the future, with business owners, residents and faith leaders.