Construction kicks off on $750M Norfolk casino

After more than four years and amid shifting plans, construction has finally begun on Norfolk’s new $750 million casino resort.

Norfolk Casino spokesperson Jay Smith confirmed that construction on the long-awaited project kicked off Friday near Harbor Park. While a ceremonial groundbreaking ceremony was held in October 2024, actual site work didn’t begin until last week.

The new resort will have a 45,000-square-foot amenity deck, 13,000 square feet of meeting space, 4,000 square feet of spa and gym space, 1,500 slot machines, 50 table games, a 200-room hotel, and eight food and beverage outlets.

Casino development partners Boyd Gaming and the Pamunkey Indian Tribe plan to complete the project in 2027. Last month, they announced that Virginia Beach-based S.B. Ballard Construction and Mississippi-based Yates Construction — the companies that built Rivers Casino Portsmouth will lead the resort’s construction.

Boyd expects to open a temporary facility late this year, with the permanent casino not opening until late 2027. The temporary casino has to be built and licensed by the Virginia State Lottery by November to meet a state deadline to retain the right for Norfolk to have a casino under the city’s 2020 casino referendum vote.

An earlier partnership between the Pamunkey tribe and Tennessee investor Jon Yarbrough fell apart, with Boyd Gaming replacing Yarbrough as the tribe’s development partner. In September, Norfolk City Council approved a development agreement between the city, the tribe and Boyd, and the new team scrapped the original HeadWaters Resort & Casino name.

Boyd Gaming operates 28 gaming properties in 10 states and is a 5% equity owner in FanDuel Group, a sports betting operator.

Three other casinos approved by voters in Danville, Bristol and Portsmouth in 2020 have already opened, and in November 2024, Petersburg voters approved their own casino referendum, clearing the way for Cordish Cos.’ $1.4 billion Live! Casino & Hotel, set to be built on an undeveloped 100-acre site off Interstate 95 in Petersburg. Legislation to build a casino in Tysons appeared stalled during this year’s General Assembly session, however.