Temporary Norfolk casino to open in November

The temporary predecessor to the $750 million Norfolk casino is expected to open in November, its developers announced Thursday.

The developers, Boyd Gaming and the Pamunkey Indian Tribe, also announced the name of the temporary facility: The Interim Gaming Hall.

Located beside the permanent resort site, The Interim will have more than 130 slot machines on a single-level gaming floor and some food and beverages. Its initial hours will be from 10 a.m. to 2 a.m. daily.

“The Interim Gaming Hall is a perfect brand for our temporary casino — a sneak peek of the exciting gaming experience and memorable guest service we plan to offer the entire Hampton Roads community,” said Ron Bailey, vice president and general manager of the Norfolk casino, in a statement. “Having said this, our focus remains on delivering on our vision of a best-in-market gaming entertainment destination.”

Boyd and the Pamunkey tribe expect to open the permanent casino resort, which is currently nameless, in late 2027. Expected to create 850 jobs, the resort will have a 65,000-square-foot casino, a 200-room hotel, eight food and beverage outlets, and a 45,000-square-foot outdoor deck. It will also include 1,500 slot machines and 50 table games, as well as 13,000 square feet of meeting space and 4,000 square feet of spa and gym space. The operators expect to announce its brand next year, according to a news release.

Construction began in February on the long-awaited casino. The resort casino was approved by Norfolk voters in fall 2020, but construction was delayed due to conflicts over design plans between Norfolk City Council and the developers. An earlier partnership between the Pamunkey tribe and Tennessee investor Jon Yarbrough ended last year, and Boyd Gaming entered the picture. At that time, Boyd and the tribe scrapped the casino’s previously announced branding as the HeadWaters Resort & Casino.

In September 2024, Norfolk City Council approved the development agreement between the city, the tribe and Boyd, and since then, the project has moved forward.

Virginia Beach’s S.B. Ballard Construction and Mississippi-based Yates Construction — the companies that built Rivers Casino Portsmouth — are leading the resort’s construction.

Virginia has three operating casinos in Danville, Bristol and Portsmouth, and construction on the $1.4 billion Live! Casino & Hotel Virginia in Petersburg began in March.