Last night Colonial Downs Group and Peninsula Pacific Entertainment virtually presented their proposal to the Dumfries Town Council for an estimated $389 million facility. Named ‘The Rose,’ the proposed facility would be designed on the Potomac Landfill.

Hoping to expand on what has already been a positive relationship within the community after the opening of Rosie’s Gaming Emporium on January 8, ‘The Rose’ project will feature more than just a gaming facility. It will have a 5-to-7 story hotel, 1800 gaming machines, and a 1500 seat theater with bars and a restaurant. In addition, they are looking to use the open space for a 79-acre public park to build soccer fields, bike trails and an amphitheater. This would be located within view off of Interstate 95. Since opening night, Rosie’s has had more than 21,000 visits, with hiring over 100 employees, and approximately $75,000 given to local charities.

Led by Lisa Speller, Vice President of Community Relations with Colonial Downs, the team of Peninsula Pacific Entertainment provided both financial benefits and infrastructure updates to handle the expected challenges that will come with expansion. They touted the organization’s previous successes in cities such as Sioux City, IA. According to a study conducted by George Mason University’s Terry Clower, the proposed resort will bring an estimated $10.9 million in annual tax revenue to Dumfries, and $6.7 million in annual tax revenue to Prince William County. The Rose Resort plans on hiring 640 jobs at $15/minimum wage, including 96 professional/managerial jobs.

Speller presented a timeline in which upon approval by the council, they will begin landfill closure in August 2021 and open the resort in January 2023. In addition, they will create a workforce development designed for people who want to enter into gaming as a career.

The council expressed an overall positive view of the proposed facility. However, there were questions that were raised, particularly on hiring of Black and brown employees, participation of minority construction, and how they would handle incoming traffic, among others. Karanja Augustine, an attorney for Peninsula Pacific, stated that the goal was to include up to 40% of minority contractors and approximately 40% of the workforce. Regarding local hiring practices, the team suggested that they would look to hire at least 50% of the employees within the Dumfries area.

Working with the expected increase of traffic is another challenge that Colonial Downs and Peninsula Pacific believe they will be able to help resolve. There are plans to expand the Route 1 area in the next few years, and the company’s representatives provided suggestions such as a traffic circle near the popular Harold and Cathy’s restaurant.

Other questions stemmed around a potential increase in crime as well as environmental factors that could come as a result of building near the landfill.

However, there was universal praise from the council once the initial presentation concluded. Mayor Derrick Wood even spoke about receiving a call from people on the western end of Prince William County providing their support for the expansion. He discussed how they expressed regret not allowing the once-proposed Disney America site to come to their county in order to maintain the rural area.

Councilman Brian Fields discussed how there have been complaints from some parts of the county, but since this is primarily a Dumfries issue, he responded with, ““Let Dumfries handle Dumfries business.”

The goal, Fields stated, is for Dumfries to become an area in which, “It’s not going to be a place you drive through, it’s going to be a place that you drive to.”

Speller stated that Colonial Downs will be hosting two community conversations to handle questions from the town citizens. The first will be on Wednesday, February 24th at 7:00pm and the second on March 17th. Details will be sent via the town council as they are received.