The parent company of the Greene Turtle catering giant is looking to launch a sports betting facility in Georgetown, Washington D.C. The famous restaurant chain has reportedly signed an agreement with the former Rí Rá Irish Pub to bring the brand into the District. As reported by Washington Business Journal (WBJ), the company is still considering the name for the location to be included into the company’s narrow but powerful portfolio of betting operations.
Remodelling Ri Ra Irish Pub Into a Sportsbook:
As reported by WBJ, the Georgetown sports book will be added to the company’s two other Greene Turtle operations located in Baltimore and Towson. The company seems to have ambitious plans for the new sports betting brand. Geo Concepcion, president and CEO of the Greene Turtle reportedly commented: “We would like to make that a sportsbook with an F&B component. It won’t be Greene Turtle, but we’re looking to put a sports book there, and have a sports-themed concept there, and that will be launched later in the year.”
According to the source, former Ri Ra Irish Pub space has undergone renovation works that retained property’s original architecture and design. In-person betting windows and kiosks will be added once the company receives the Class B sports betting license from the city. As reported, Concepcion hopes to share more information on the procedure in a few weeks.
Weighing Relocation Options for Greene Turtle:
The launch of the spots book in Georgetown reportedly comes as the Greene Turtle is weighing moving options for several facilities, such as Chinatown, that relocated the Greene Turtles restaurant to make way for a sports book. Also, the brand’s plans include relocations of some catering facilities from Washington to Northern Virginia, according to WBJ.The same source reports that the CEO said that the company may have various options in searching for space for the Greene Turtle brand, but these locations will reportedly ensure the brand’s presence in the vicinity of sports teams.
Grand Central Sportsbook & Cafe’s Opening:
As the parent company of Greene Turtle is looking to launch sports betting in Ri Ra Pub In Georgetown, a new sports wagering facility opened in Washington D.C. on March 8, 2024 to expand the sports betting offerings in the District just ahead of the 2024 March Madness running from March 17 to April 8. Having secured final approvals from the Department of Small and Local Business Development, the Grand Central Sportsbook & Cafe launched its operations in D.C. to be included into the rising sports wagering portfolio in the region.
As reported by WBJ, the brand-new facility represents the second betting facility of the owner Brian Vasile. This owner reportedly holding title over the Grand Central Restaurant, Bar & Sportsbook in Adams Morgan has now opened the Grand Central Sportsbook & Cafe to stand for the first new launch in the District since December 2022. According to the source, D.C. now has six sports wagering facilities. At the same time, Live! Hospitality & Entertainment and the company behind The Greene Turtle are looking to launch betting operations in the District as they hope to complement the local offerings at the earliest opportunity.