Penny Parayo named as Senior Vice President and General Manager for Live Casino Virginia
BRUCE SMITH ENTERPRISE AND THE CORDISH COMPANIES NAME
PENNY PARAYO AS SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF OPERATIONS
AND GENERAL MANAGER FOR LIVE! CASINO VIRGINIA
Gaming Industry Veteran to Manage Development and Operations of Temporary
Gaming Facility Set to Open by the End of 2025
Construction Underway on First Phase of the Larger $1.4 Billion Master Plan
That Will Bring a World-Class Mixed-Use Resort Destination to the Region
Petersburg, VA (05/01/2025 ) – Bruce Smith Enterprise and The Cordish Companies today announced the appointment of gaming industry veteran PENNY PARAYO as Senior Vice President and General Manager for Live! Casino Virginia, the temporary gaming facility the partnership plans to open by the end of 2025 to immediately begin creating jobs, vendor opportunities and economic benefits for the City of Petersburg. Live! Casino Virginia will be in operation while the larger permanent facility, Live! Casino & Hotel Virginia, is under construction. Live! Casino & Hotel Virginia is scheduled to open in 2027.
Penny Parayo most recently served as Senior Vice President of Property Operations for Live! Casino & Hotel in Hanover, MD. She is very familiar with the Live! brand, having also served as Vice President of Slot and Beverage Operations at the Maryland location from 2013-2018. In her new capacity, Ms. Parayo will manage the development, opening, and day-to-day operations of the temporary gaming facility in Petersburg, VA, that will include approximately:
- 75,000 square feet of gaming space
- 900 state-of-the-art slots
- 33 live action table games
- Casino bar and quick service restaurant
- 1,000 free parking spots
“We are incredibly fortunate as a company to have a leader as skilled and knowledgeable as Penny and we’re so pleased to elevate her to a position where she can have even greater impact on the growth of our organization,” said Joe Billhimer, Chief Operating & Development Officer, Cordish Gaming Group. “We’re very excited about our plans to open Live! Casino Virginia by the end of this year to kickstart employment and vendor opportunities for Petersburg residents and businesses; as well as generate immediate economic benefits for the city.”
A gaming industry veteran with more than 30 years of hands-on operational and management experience, Ms. Parayo brings a proven track record of opening and expanding new properties, driving revenue growth, and developing operational plans to create consumer loyalty, and continuously increasing employee satisfaction and retention to her new role with the company.
Bruce Smith Enterprise and The Cordish Companies recently celebrated the groundbreaking ceremony for the larger Live! Casino & Hotel Virginia and construction is well underway on the project which is slated to open in 2027. Upon completion, the world-class destination will feature:
- More than 450,000 square feet of first-class gaming, hotel and dining space
- 75,000 square feet of meeting, convention and entertainment space including a 4,000-seat state-of-the-art venue for concerts and special events from top talent from across Virginia and the greater region
- An upscale 200-room hotel featuring 20 suites, resort pool and fitness center
- 1,600 state-of-the-art slot machines
- 65 live action table games, including a 22-table poker room
- High limit slot and table areas
- Sportsbook
- 10 best-in-class food and entertainment options, including local partners
- Free parking
More details will be shared in the coming months. New information will be posted to the website as available at https://valive.casino/.
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About Bruce Smith Enterprise
Bruce Smith Enterprise, led by legendary Pro Football Hall of Fame member and Virginia native Bruce Smith, is a commercial real estate firm that specializes in the development of premier mixed-use projects. Headquartered in Virginia Beach, VA, the company has developed notable properties throughout the state and the Mid-Atlantic region that feature the cohesive and seamless integration of residential, hotel, Class A office, and retail space. Since retiring from professional football in 2004 after a prolific 19-year career, the NFL’s All-Time Sack Leader has endeavored to bring the same level of unparalleled excellence, diligence, and leadership that he honed as a veteran on the field to the management of Bruce Smith Enterprise. The successful development of timeless mixed-use properties that survive and withstand trends of the marketplace, strengthen, and invigorate the local economy and create jobs are core values of Bruce Smith Enterprise’s primary mission.
About The Cordish Companies
The Cordish Companies’ origins date back to 1910 and encompass four generations of privately held, family ownership. During the past ten decades, The Cordish Companies has grown into a global leader in Gaming & Entertainment; Commercial Real Estate; Entertainment Districts; Sports-Anchored Developments; Hotels; Residential Properties; Restaurants; Coworking Spaces; and Private Equity. One of the largest and most respected developers in the world, The Cordish Companies has been awarded an unprecedented seven Urban Land Institute Awards for Excellence for public-private developments that are of unique significance to the cities in which they are located. The Cordish Companies has developed and operates highly acclaimed dining, entertainment and hospitality destinations throughout the United States, many falling under The Cordish Companies’ Live! Brand, highly regarded as one of the premier entertainment brands in the country. Welcoming over 60 million visitors per year, these developments are among the highest profile dining, entertainment, gaming, hotel and sports-anchored destinations in the country. In gaming, The Cordish Companies has developed among the most successful casino hotel resorts in the world, including the Hard Rock Hotels & Casinos in Hollywood and Tampa, FL, Live! Casino & Hotel Maryland, Live! Casino Pittsburgh and Live! Casino & Hotel Philadelphia. Over the generations, The Cordish Companies has remained true to the family’s core values of quality, entrepreneurial spirit, long-term personal relationships and integrity. As a testimony to the long-term vision of its family leadership, The Cordish Companies still owns and manages virtually every business it has created. For more information, visit www.cordish.com or follow us on X (@cordishco).
“The Cordish Companies,” “The Cordish Company” and “Cordish” are trademarks used under license by independent corporations, legal liability companies and partnerships (“Cordish Entities”). Each Cordish Entity is a separate, single-purpose legal entity that is solely responsible for its obligations and liabilities. No common operations or financial interdependency, and no intermingling of assets or liabilities of the Cordish Entities exists, or should be deemed to exist, as a result of the potential common reference to multiple independent entities operating under the names “Cordish,” “The Cordish Companies” or “The Cordish Company” here or elsewhere.
About Live! Casinos & Hotels
Live! Casinos & Hotels set a new standard in best-in-class customer experiences with highly-acclaimed resort, casino and entertainment destinations throughout the Mid-Atlantic region. Live! delivers a renowned blend of world-class accommodations and amenities, award-winning dining, casino gaming action, and headline entertainment, all in an exciting, spontaneous atmosphere that has become synonymous with the Live! Brand nationwide. Strategic national partnerships bring unique promotions and sports engagement opportunities to all Live! Properties. With a commitment to impeccable customer service and treating guests like part of the family, Live! Properties attract millions of visitors per year seeking unique experiences with gaming, dining and entertainment, all in one location. The portfolio includes Live! Casino & Hotel Maryland – located in the Washington, DC/Baltimore corridor; Live! Casino & Hotel Philadelphia – located in the heart of the South Philadelphia Stadium District; Live! Casino Pittsburgh – located in Westmoreland County, PA; Live! Casino & Hotel Louisiana - located in Bossier City, LA, near Dallas; and PlayLive.com – the company’s branded Internet gambling business in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Coming soon – Live! Casino & Hotel Virginia (Petersburg). Live! Casinos & Hotels are owned and operated by Cordish Gaming Group, a division of the world-renowned developers The Cordish Companies. For more information, visit https://visitlive.com/casinos.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:
Cari Furman Andy Poarch
The Cordish Companies Alliance Group
cfurman@cordish.com andy@alliancegroupltd.com
330-807-4079 804-564-2566 (cell)