HAMPTON, Va. — Hampton city council voted unanimously to approve Rosie’s Gaming Emporium to be open 24 hours a day.
That means for the first time, Rosie's will be open 24/7.
Some view say this will help the facility compete with Rivers Casino.
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"I think it would be a great competition for Rosie's and Rivers to compete against each other when it comes to the 24-hour thing," Ebony, a Rosie’s customer, said.
Rosie's is currently open from 8 a.m. until 4 a.m., and customers say they look forward to the 24-hour operation.
"I have a lot of fun in here, especially when I leave with the money," Vedo, a Rosie’s customer, said.
Rosie's Gaming Emporium has 700 horse racing machines, which resemble slot machines, inside that customers can bet on.
The difference between Rosie's and a casino is that Rosie's doesn't have table games.
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In 2021, city council allowed the business to extend its closing time from 2 a.m. to 4 a.m.
Since then, the city says Rosie’s has not had significant incidents reported to police nor high volume calls to police.
"With the operation being open until 4 a.m., there was not a bump in calls for this location with extended hours," an employee with the City of Norfolk said during a presentation to city council.
"The incidents in our area have gone down," Mary Harper, Rosie's Gaming Emporium General Manager said. "We don’t see an issue long term."
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The city believes expanding Rosie's to a 24-hour operation will have a positive impact on tourism.
"This is an opportunity to expand tourism," an employee with the City of Norfolk said during a presentation to city council. "It really bolsters tax revenue."
A spokesperson for Rosie’s says the Hampton location generates more than $2.5 million in annual tax revenue for the city.
