He added that the company doesn’t have enough information to decide how many rooms to build or know who most guests will be: families, business travelers or casino regulars, for example. Tobin said hotels have been hurt over the past year and a new one needs to take into account new concerns and expectations guests may have. While they guaranteed they would build a hotel, they don’t plan to open it at the same time as Rivers Casino and its connected restaurants, lounges and entertainment spaces. In a meeting Tuesday with the Portsmouth City Council, Mike Tobin, an SVP for Rush Street, said the hotel would take longer to build and that the pandemic has introduced uncertainty, The Virginian-Pilot reports. Representatives of casino operator Rush Street Gaming said Tuesday the company wants its Portsmouth casino to be the first to open in Virginia, maybe as soon as late next year. The operator plans to begin construction later this year and is awaiting a license from the Virginia Lottery Board. The development agreement requires the company to begin work on the hotel upon hitting certain revenue benchmarks once Norfolk’s casino opens.