In 2020, voters in Norfolk, Virginia approved allowing casino gambling in their city. Norfolk was one of five cities approved by the state legislature to host a casino, pending successful local ballot referendums.
Norfolk officials negotiated a development agreement with the Pamunkey Tribe and Golden Eagle Consulting, requiring them to obtain a gaming license from the Virginia Lottery Board by November 25.
However, to date, ground has not been broken at the proposed HeadWaters Resort & Casino construction site. Now Norfolk officials are considering seeking new casino resort proposals if HeadWaters doesn’t become a reality. Norfolk City Attorney Bernard Pishko told the Virginian-Pilot, “If they don’t perform, we will have somebody take their place.”
Although the Pamunkey Tribe had no gaming experience, Norfolk officials partnered with the 500-member, federally recognized tribe out of concern it might open its own casino to compete with the city’s commercial casino, leading to less tax revenue. The tribe partnered with billionaire Jon Yarbrough and his Golden Eagle Consulting, which is funding the $500 million casino resort.
Yarbrough, who made his fortune by manufacturing Indian gaming machines, had the Norfolk contract terms approved by the U.S. Department of the Interior to assure it was fair for the tribe.
Under Virginia’s 2020 casino law, approved casino referendums are annulled if a project hasn’t received a gaming license within five years of ratification. Only state legislators can extend the Pamunkeys’ November 2025 gaming license deadline.
The tribe and developers had planned to build a temporary casino at Harbor Park, while the permanent facility was constructed along the Elizabeth River. However, Virginia’s casino law does not allow gambling at Harbor Park, which has a different mailing address than the parking lot where Norfolk voters approved HeadWaters’ location.
To get around that issue, the Pamunkeys and Golden Eagle then proposed a 2-phase development, building the casino first, then the hotel. But city officials rejected that plan, since the agreement required the project to be completed in its entirety.
The developers currently are working on a new plan, which involves moving the hotel and eliminating a marina due to the state granting the city $2.6 billion to build a 17-foot flood wall along the Elizabeth River.
