Construction has begun on the $750 million waterfront Norfolk Casino that should open late in 2027. A spokesperson for the casino confirmed that construction began Feb. 14.
Norfolk Casino, a joint endeavor between the Pamunkey Indian Tribe, Boyd Gaming and the City of Norfolk, plan to open a more immediate temporary gaming facility later this year.
The Norfolk-based S.B. Ballard Construction Company and Yates Construction are serving as construction managers for the project.
“These two outstanding companies are the ideal team to lead construction of our resort on the Norfolk waterfront,” said Uri Clinton, executive vice president and general counsel of Boyd Gaming. “S.B. Ballard’s proven track record in this region and extensive network of subcontractors will allow us to successfully meet our development timeline, while Yates’ unparalleled experience in casino development will help us deliver a truly market-leading resort experience.”
The casino project broke ground in October. The permanent resort will feature a casino with 1,500 slot machines and 50 table games, a 200-room hotel, eight food and beverage outlets, live entertainment and a 45,000-square-foot outdoor amenity deck.
“When complete in just three short years, this $750 million resort will be an entertainment destination that this entire community can take pride in – drawing visitors from throughout the mid-Atlantic region and generating billions of dollars in economic activity for the City of Norfolk and the greater Hampton Roads area,” said Keith Smith, president and chief executive officer of Boyd Gaming, in a Jan. 27 news release.
Once open, the City of Norfolk projects an economic development impact of $290 million annually with a tax revenue of more than $30 million. The city also projects annual wages and salaries of more than $170 million.
During the construction phase, the city projects more than 1,700 jobs.
“Boyd Gaming Corporation, in partnership with the Pamunkey Indian Tribe, is set to deliver a premier destination that will generate meaningful revenue, create jobs and revitalize our waterfront.” said Kenny Alexander, Norfolk mayor, at the ground breaking. “This project will not only enhance our tourism efforts, but will also allow us to invest in key priorities that will benefit our community for years to come.”
Additional information on the project is available at https://norfolk.boydgaming.com.
Other Virginia casino news
The Norfolk casino is lagging behind other state casinos that were approved in 2020: Danville, Bristol and Portsmouth have already opened.
In 2024, more than 80 percent of Petersburg voters approved a casino referendum. The plans are to build a $1.4 billion casino on a 100-acre site off Interstate 95. The Petersburg venue was approved by the Virginia Lottery after a failed attempt to build a casino in Richmond.
Fairfax County bid fails again
A bill introduced in the General Assembly to add Fairfax County to the list of localities eligible to host a casino in the Commonwealth failed for the third time. The proposed casino resort would be in the Tysons area near the mall and the Silver Line on the Metro. Some community members thought the effort in the General Assembly was made in an attempt to bypass local officials.
“This bill was not requested by the local government, unlike the five other casinos that were authorized. This bill is the product of a local developer who stands to benefit from the carefully crafted language of the bill that targets his holdings and possibly one other nearby site,” said Lynne Mulston, chair of the No Fairfax Casino Coalition. “Further, the idea of a casino has been rejected by thousands of residents of the county, who believe that a casino does not comport with the long term plans for Tysons.”
Fairfax County Board of Supervisor Chair Jeff McKay told WTOP that he believes the matter will be back before the General Assembly again in the future.
“I do think it’ll come back, and if it doesn’t come back with a substantially better revenue share that’s worth even looking at, then we will just fight it like we’ve had to do this time,” said McKay.
He said the proposal was a bad deal for the county.
“I think they just thought they had a good idea and were going to work around us. Clearly, what the community has been saying is that local folks here were not consulted on this. That’s a bad precedent to set, and I think it’s one of the major reasons why the bill failed,” he said.
An effort to allow casino gaming on a cruise ship in Virginia also failed this session.
Related stories
For additional news coverage of casinos in Virginia, click here.
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Crystal Graham
