Norfolk casino project suffers another setback, design review delayed
Developers of Norfolk casino project HeadWaters Resort & Casino have asked the City Council for additional time. The request follows the submission of final construction plans for a project expected to exceed $500 million.
The Pamunkey Indian Tribe is Norfolk's preferred game developer. Local voters approved a referendum during the 2020 election to allow federally recognized tribes to build commercial casino resorts. It will be located on the banks of the Elizabeth River adjacent to the Harbor Park minor league baseball field.
More than three years later, the cornerstone of the casino has still not been laid. The tribe is scheduled to submit updated building plans to the Norfolk Architectural Review Board on Monday. But the city agency said casino developers have requested an extension.
The Architectural Review Board said it will now consider the HeadWaters plan at its Jan. 22 meeting.
Final setback
Architectural Review Board approval is the first step in solidifying the tribe’s casino development plans.
The committee is responsible for reviewing all new construction projects that involve the city purchasing land or directly encroaching on city property. The tribe plans to build HeadWaters on about 13.5 acres of oceanfront land currently owned by the city.
Norfolk has tentatively agreed to sell the site for $10 million. The Tribe is partnering with billionaire gaming industry veteran Jon Yarbrough to finance the $500 million casino.
However, the project has suffered multiple setbacks since voters approved the plan. A temporary casino in Harbor Park initially caused delays as legal concerns were raised about allowing gambling on the adjacent property because it has a different mailing address than the permanent casino's location.
The tribe then proposed a phased approach to development, with the casino first, then resorts and hotels. The city rejected the idea because they wanted "to fully construct the project immediately."
Planning delays for HeadWaters come after Norfolk State allocated significant funding to build a 17-foot seawall along the Elizabeth River to better protect the city from coastal weather events. The seawall project forced HeadWaters to abandon its marina plans, which had been the focus of previous pitches.
DEADLINE 2025
Norfolk's casino development agreement with the Pamunkey Indian Tribe calls for HeadWaters to begin operations by the end of November 2025. Both cities and tribes have financial incentives to meet deadlines.
Last month, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) announced in his budget that Norfolk would receive an additional $21 million in state funding for seawall projects. However, money will only be transferred when HeadWaters opens the slot machine. The $21 million is in addition to the $74 million the state previously allocated for the infrastructure project, formally known as the Norfolk Coastal Storm Risk Management Project.
Norfolk Mayor Kenny Alexander told The Virginian-Pilot this week he didn’t know why the tribe was asking for more time to submit its plans to the Architectural Review Board.
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Source: www.casino.org
