Norfolk Casino Developer Donates $1 Million to Local HBCU, Norfolk State University

Boyd Gaming, partners in a $750 million Norfolk, Virginia casino project, gifted $1 million to Norfolk State University on Friday, May 9.

“Since we broke ground on our Norfolk casino resort project last year, Boyd Gaming and the Pamunkey Tribe have been committed to building a mutually beneficial partnership with our neighbors at Norfolk State University,” said Ron Bailey, vice president and general manager of the casino project. “We are honored today to further expand our partnership with our $1 million pledge.”

This was the second time that Boyd made a contribution to NSU. It also donated $100,000 last October during a ceremony celebrating the beginning of the casino development.

Building local relationships

Boyd Gaming teamed up with the Pamunkey Indian Tribe to deliver the casino to Norfolk after years of struggles and delays.

Local officials chose the tribe as their preferred partner for a casino in May 2020. A casino was widely expected to be opened already, but arguments regarding design and construction plans resulted in the Pamunkey tribe cycling through partners and finally landing on Boyd Gaming.

“We look forward to working closely with our friends and partners at NSU in the years ahead as we build a best-in-class team and create exciting career opportunities for Norfolk State graduates at our resort,” Bailey said after the donation was announced.

The $1 million will help create the Boyd Gaming Department of Tourism & Hospitality Management at Norfolk State, one of five Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in Virginia.

The school already offers an online bachelor’s program in tourism and hospitality through its School of Business. The incoming casino will grant students the opportunity to learn directly from a nearby source of major economic stimulus.

Upcoming plans

On top of supporting NSU and its business school, Boyd also pledged $50,000 in grants to Old Dominion University and Tidewater Community College, both of which have locations in Norfolk.

“It is so important for us to work with local colleges and universities to ensure our workforce is ready to deliver a truly best-in-class experience when we open,” Bailey said.  

Boyd entered the fray for the Norfolk casino after it purchased its stake from billionaire Jon Yarbrough, who was in the process of developing a casino with the tribe 60 miles north of Norfolk.

Plans for the under-construction casino include a 200-room hotel, a casino floor with 1,500 slot machines and 50 live table games, a sportsbook, 13,000 square feet of meeting space, a massive rooftop, a parking garage, restaurants and bars, and a spa and gym.

Women, minorities, and veterans will be given precedence during the hiring process, and locally-owned businesses will go to the front of the line when needed as vendors.

A temporary facility is expected to open before the end of the year, while the full project is expected to be done before 2028.