NORFOLK, Va. — New renderings released to 13News Now demonstrate an overall change in the way developers plan to move forward with the buildout of the HeadWaters Resort & Casino in Norfolk, following a recent development certificate application to the city.
Acres of empty parking lot still sit beside Harbor Park, the site of Norfolk's casino project, which voters allowed to move forward after passing a casino gaming referendum in 2020 by a nearly 2-1 ratio.
For months, the project's leadership has worked to build out a temporary gaming facility that would operate until the full casino is up and running. Original plans for "The Pamunkey Club" were to house the temporary facility in the confines of Harbor Park, which would include a remodel of sections of the stadium on the first base side.
Jay Smith, a spokesperson for the HeadWaters project, detailed to 13News Now that the idea is now to build the full casino project in two phases, the first of which will operate until Phase 2 is complete which includes the hotel and improvements to the Elizabeth River shoreline.
“Once we start operating, we have a clock, that we have to have the rest of the product done within two years," Smith said.
Details about Phase 1 of the plan include:
- Approximately 45, 000 sq. feet of gaming floor
- 5,000 sq. feet of lobby
- 4,500 sq. feet sports bar and entertainment
- More than 1,000 parking spaces
Renderings also show a large "Norfolk" display that will greet visitors facing the casino from the Amtrak station.
Smith added the initial phase will still require land acquisition from the City of Norfolk, who are the current owners of the space needed for the initial buildout.
The change from "temporary" to "initial"
Virginia code allows temporary facilities to operate under a number of conditions, including:
The temporary casino gaming is to be conducted at the same site referenced in the referendum held pursuant to § 58.1-4123.
The referendum from 2020 states that the casino gaming establishment would be located "on property east of Harbor Park bounded to the North by Park Avenue" and that it would have "an approximate street address of 200 Park Avenue."
Confusion arose during a May meeting of the Norfolk Planning Commission in 2022 when it was noticed the agenda item discussing the temporary facility used an address "200 Park Avenue."
Correspondence from city officials in 2022 confirmed the address of Harbor Park "remains 150 Park Avenue."
Other casino operations
Of the four localities in which casino gaming was approved by respective voters in the 2020 November elections, Norfolk's project is the only one to date without approval to operate by The Virginia Lottery Board.
Rivers Casino Portsmouth -- which opened in late January -- has generated almost $6 million in tax toward the "Regional Improvement Commission and Locality," which is 6% of the Adjusted Gaming Revenue.