PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) – The opening of Virginia’s first free-standing casino has been delayed.

Instead of the previously announced opening scheduled for Sunday, Jan. 15, it now is being moved to 10 a.m. Monday, Jan. 23.

Rivers Casino Portsmouth officials say the delay will give them additional time to test and verify new gaming equipment.

New grand opening ceremony invitations with revised dates and times will be issued to the guest list.

The charity nights previously scheduled for Tuesday, January 10, and Thursday, January 12, are also being rescheduled for Thursday, January 19, and Saturday, January 21.

New charity event invitations will be issued to guests who previously RSVPed with revised dates and times. Those who have pre-enrolled and responded to the Rush Rewards exclusive charity event invitation will be notified by email of a new date and time.

The $340 million gaming and entertainment venue is part of a planned Entertainment District along Victory Boulevard — just south of I-264.

Rivers Casino Portsmouth, open 24/7, will feature a gaming floor with 1,448 slot machines, 57 table games, and 24 poker tables in a dedicated poker room. Additionally, the facility will have 10 new restaurants and bars all under one roof, including high-end dining at Admiral’s Steak and Seafood, casual dining at Crossings Café and Asian cuisine at Mian; plus, Slice Pizzeria, Starbucks and more.

The casino is expected to employ 1,300 team members and will continue to fill positions in the weeks leading up to the opening. Visit riverscasino.com for a list of current openings.

With the casino now scheduled to open on a Monday, Portsmouth Police expect higher than average traffic all day, in the area of Victory Boulevard and Interstate 264. If you want to try to avoid the traffic, they recommend using the Greenwood Drive Exit or the Frederick Boulevard Exit as alternatives.