Norfolk Casino Renderings Presented to VA Board Without Previous Name

Developers hired by the Pamunkey Indian Nation on Monday presented renderings of a proposed casino build project in Roanoke, Virginia to local officials.

The tribe is teaming up with Video Gaming Technologies founder Jon Yarbrough for a proposed $500 million, 90,000-square-foot facility. 

Amenities would include a massive gaming floor, several restaurants including a steakhouse, a hotel with a pool deck, a spa and fitness center, a ballroom, meeting centers, and a parking garage.

Taking another crack

Norfolk voters approved casino gaming during the November 2020 ballot. Virginia law granted the city a five-year period to begin gaming operations, but nearly four years later, there is nothing to show for their legal efforts.

Local leadership has cited a variety of causes for delays in the casino build. A temporary gaming area was planned for Harbor Park, though questions about its legitimacy led to the idea being scrapped. 

This is the third time that the Architectural Review Board (ARB) has been provided renderings of possible projects. While the first two failed to materialize, it is still a step in the right direction for casino-backers.

“The Tribe is excited to have taken the next step in the design and construction approval process as we continue to pursue our vision of bringing a best-in-class resort and casino to Norfolk,” the Pamunkey Indian Nation said in a statement following Monday’s meeting. “Incorporating nautical design elements in our plans will make this project uniquely Norfolk and will make the casino resort an iconic feature on the City’s waterfront.

“This will be a resort experience of which the Tribe and the citizens of Norfolk can be proud.”

The casino’s plan and path

Notably, the new renderings were the first that did not include the name “Headwaters Resort & Casino.” Jay Smith, a spokesperson for the tribe, also did not include the name or logo in the statement that was released.

The renderings showed the casino would sit next to Harbor Park, a 12,067-seat stadium that plays home to the Norfolk Tides, the Triple-A affiliate of MLB’s Baltimore Orioles.

“Parking and traffic are already tight around here on game days, so during that construction phase there’s going to be some hurdles to get over," said Joe Gregory, the Tides’ General Manager. "But once we get through that construction phase I’m hoping it’ll be a net win for everybody.”

The project can only proceed if it receives the requisite number of votes from the ARB. Those votes could be cast as early as the first week of September.

Virginia is already home to a casino in Portsmouth less than seven miles away. It is also roughly 90 minutes away from the state capital of Richmond, which is the target of another potential casino build.