NORFOLK, Va. — A years-long delay in the City of Norfolk appears to be ending, as casino operators and the Pamunkey Indian Tribe broke ground on the long-awaited Norfolk casino and resort project Wednesday morning.
“For the better part of 10,000 years, our ancestors have lived, hunted, fished and traded in Tidewater Virginia. While we’ve endured times of adversity, they’ve made us stronger. Today we stand shoulder to shoulder with Norfolk on a project making us more resilient and will uplift our communities," Pamunkey Chief Robert Gray told a crowd outside Harbor Park.
The milestone comes after years of negotiations, changes and procedural complications for the highly anticipated casino. There have been several versions of the project since 2020, both for full builds as well as temporary casino concepts.
“There have been challenges along the way, but I stand here today to say those challenges strengthened our relationship and our shared commitment to bring a best of market casino," Gray said.
The project's progress has ramped up within the last year, after gaming giant Boyd Gaming entered the picture as the gaming operator for the facility. Following the ceremony, CEO of Boyd Gaming Keith Smith announced an increased investment of $750 million for the project.
"For those worried about Boyd honoring the commitment to the city, we've not only honored it but we're exceeding it from prior developers. This will be a $750 million casino resort," Smith said.
In 2020, voters in Norfolk and Portsmouth approved casino gaming referendums in their respective cities, with Rivers Casino Portsmouth surpassing the first anniversary mark in 2024 while bringing in $250 million in total gaming revenue. But while Wednesday's ground breaking signals a major first step for the anticipated casino, Smith acknowledged it will still be months before construction crews are physically breaking ground on the plot of land next to Harbor Park.
“It won’t be in the next week or two, but next couple of months," Smith said. "That’s as close as we can give you. We're only six to eight months into this."
Earlier this month, the Norfolk City Council approved a development certificate for the casino — their last required vote needed — before construction could begin.
Among those in attendance for the groundbreaking were Norfolk Mayor Kenneth Alexander, U.S. Representative Bobby Scott, State Sen. Angelia Williams Graves, several House Delegates as well as members of Norfolk City Council.
13News Now learned Boyd Gaming will have the majority share in the casino. The gaming giant will take over the financial and operational aspects of developing the casino, while the Pamunkey Indian Tribe will hold an equity stake of 20%.
Smith reaffirmed the building of a temporary casino at the front of the complex, which will open in roughly a year from the groundbreaking date. Specifics on tables and slot machines are still unclear, but there will be beverage and food options there for the time that it's open before the full casino is built.
The temporary facility will not serve a function after the full facility is built.