Boys & Girls Club to receive next $1 million at casino grand opening
Aug. 1—DANVILLE — Friday's grand opening for the Golden Nugget Danville Casino will be taking on a Las Vegas flair.
Officials were still in the final planning stages for the grand opening to take place at 11 a.m. Friday at the casino, 204 Eastgate Drive. The public, age 21 and older, is invited to attend.
Jo Green, casino marketing director, said the casino has been open since the end of May and they want to have a fun celebration.
"We just want to have fun," Green said about the event. "We've been open, and this is our way of being official. We've not had a celebration."
There will be a ribbon-cutting ceremony with Vermilion Advantage's Nicole Van Hyfte serving as emcee.
Danville Mayor Rickey Williams Jr. and other elected officials also will be present.
There will be giveaways of T-shirts, umbrellas and other Golden Nugget Danville branded items to the public. Green said they hope to have a spin board for prizes.
Entertainment also was being scheduled.
"Our hope is to have karaoke and a photo opportunity with showgirls," Green added. "We're trying to work with the (Illinois) Gaming Board."
Green said those from Danville and Vermilion County have been talking about how the casino was 30 years in the making, and that this is a dream of Danville to come true.
Green said they want everyone to have fun and celebrate the casino, with an official grand opening.
The grand opening also will serve as the second $1 million check presentation from the casino developers to the community.
The Boys & Girls Club of Danville will be the second recipient of $1 million.
The city of Danville in March received the first $1 million from Golden Nugget Danville Casino developers as part of the Host Community Agreement during a sneak preview of the casino given to media and other invited guests. That money is to be used for the city's riverfront development near the David S. Palmer Arena.
As part of Danville Development's Host Community Agreement that the city approved in 2020, developers Wilmorite Construction and the Wilmot family, working with Golden Nugget as part of Danville Development, committed $3 million in one-time donations to: Danville Riverfront Improvement Project, the Boys & Girls Club of Danville for a teen center addition and Danville Municipal Project to address city buildings.
Danville Development also made annual commitments to: United Way — $100,000; Vermilion Advantage — $50,000; Fischer Theatre — $50,000; Danville Area Community College for scholarships — $50,000; and Public Safety and Municipal Service Payments — $50,000 for police and firefighter training and needs.
Danville Development President Jimmy Wilmot has said the payments were to be made after the casino opened to the public.
