Norfolk casino construction clears final hurdle with city council approval

Construction on Norfolk’s long-anticipated waterfront casino can finally move forward after the City Council granted the final development certificate on Tuesday, ending years of delays for the project.

The casino, a joint venture between the Pamunkey Indian Tribe and Boyd Gaming, received the last necessary vote to begin construction. “We are excited to receive the City’s approval of our plans for a best-in-class casino resort on the Norfolk waterfront,” the developers said in a joint statement. They also thanked the city's leadership for their support and expressed enthusiasm for creating a top-tier entertainment destination.

This marks the third iteration of the project since Norfolk voters approved a casino gaming referendum in 2020. Earlier versions featured both full casino builds and temporary gaming concepts. The project gained renewed momentum with the addition of Boyd Gaming, a Nevada-based gaming and hospitality company, which helped break the long-standing deadlock.

Construction is expected to break ground before the end of the year, according to project officials. In the interim, a temporary casino will be built near the site, as permitted by the Virginia General Assembly.

The latest version of the casino includes several design changes from the original plans. Conference space has been reduced to less than 10,000 square feet, compared to 30,000 square feet in a 2022 proposal. Additionally, the number of hotel rooms has been scaled down from 300 to 200.

Not all council members supported the project. Councilwoman Andria McClellan cast the lone dissenting vote, citing concerns over the casino’s smoking policy. "I really wish we were in a position, legally, I know we can’t require it," McClellan said, expressing disappointment that the casino will not be smoke-free.

City attorney Bernard Pishko explained that prohibiting smoking could impose significant financial burdens on both the locality and the casino operator. “Because of the sum of money involved, the developer has not been agreeable to a prohibition,” Pishko said, though he added that an air filtration system would be installed to prevent the smell of tobacco smoke from permeating the casino.

The development certificate allows smoking only in compliance with the Virginia Indoor Clean Air Act, ensuring that any smoking areas adhere to state regulations.