Once the fully-developed casino of HeadWaters Resort and Casino is operational in 2025, it is anticipated to generate an annual economic impact of $850 million. In the interim, the Pamunkey Indian Tribe is collaborating with construction crews to establish a temporary casino that is slated to open in 2025.

In 2020, Norfolk joined three other cities in granting approval for the construction of a casino in Virginia. As a result, we can anticipate the development of HeadWaters Resort & Casino on a 13.4-acre plot situated alongside the Elizabeth River.

The upcoming temporary casino will be located in close proximity to Harbor Park Stadium, which is the renowned home of the AAA Norfolk Tides baseball team. In due course, the developers plan to replace this temporary establishment with a grand $500 million gaming and resort destination.

Prior to the legalization of casino gambling in Virginia, Norfolk operators had already selected the Pamunkey Tribe as their favored casino partner. In November, a significant 65% of Norfolk voters officially endorsed the project through a referendum.

Norfolk Casino key launch dates

Please submit your preferred casino partner information for preliminary review by the Virginia Lottery after June 1st.

The deadline to request a referendum for the General Election is August 14th.

Nov. 3: General Election

The Secretary of State has officially certified the election results for the Pamunkey Casino Resort Norfolk in early December.

In May 2022, the city officials of Norfolk granted their approval for a temporary casino license to be established at Harbor Park, which serves as the residence for the AAA Norfolk Tides.

In July 2022, the Pamunkey Tribe altered their plans, shifting from constructing a temporary casino within the stadium to opting for HeadWaters to build the structure within the existing footprint of the permanent casino.

HeadWaters Resort & Casino plans

HeadWaters Resort & Casino is set to be built adjacent to the Harbor Park minor league baseball stadium by the Pamunkey Indian Tribe.

The project, spearheaded by the Pamunkey Tribe, is set to receive a hefty investment of $500 million. The casino itself will feature an impressive array of amenities including 3,000 slot machines, 150 table games, and a sportsbook. Moreover, the casino resort will offer an array of additional facilities and services.

• 300 hotel rooms
• Venue offering live music and entertainment
• Establishments that offer a diverse range of dining choices including steakhouse, sports bar, seafood, and international cuisine.
• Indoor and outdoor pools
• Spa and fitness center

The resort is located in close proximity to Norfolk’s thriving Waterside District, situated along the picturesque Elizabeth River, a tributary of Chesapeake Bay.

The project is a collaboration between Jon Yarbrough, a billionaire from Tennessee with extensive experience in casino gaming, and the Pamunkey Tribe.

Norfolk Casino’s impact on the community

In 2021, the anticipated groundbreaking of HeadWaters Resort & Casino in Norfolk will lead to the creation of 2,000 temporary construction jobs. Moreover, as the opening approaches, the casino plans to hire 2,500 full-time employees for permanent positions. In the meantime, a temporary casino is set to open its doors in 2025.

Apart from increasing tourism, the City of Norfolk asserts that Pamunkey Casino Resort Norfolk will bring the following advantages:

• Revenue that the city desperately needs.
• Diversifying the economy holds the potential to promote diversity at both the local and regional levels.
• Increased wages and decreased unemployment
• Hotel and convention capacity has been raised.
• The ongoing emphasis remains on revitalizing the waterfront.

Norfolk Casino Resort timeline of events

In July 2022, the Pamunkey Tribe and Norfolk revealed their intentions to establish a temporary casino located east of Harbor Park Stadium. Their objective is to inaugurate the temporary casino in the spring of 2025, which will also act as the precursor to the construction of a permanent casino worth $500 million.

On May 4, 2021, the Pamunkey Indian Tribe officials made an announcement revealing the official name of the upcoming Norfolk resort as HeadWaters Resort & Casino.

In November 2020, the Pamunkey Casino Resort Norfolk casino referendum garnered formal approval from nearly two-thirds of voters, effectively giving the green light to the ambitious half-billion-dollar project.

In September 2020, the All In for Norfolk Casino Committee commences its official campaign, aiming to bring a casino resort to the southeastern region of Virginia.

In July 2020, Norfolk, Bristol, Danville, and Portsmouth were granted preliminary approval for the Pamunkey casino project by the Virginia Lottery. However, the Lottery will only conduct a thorough evaluation after the referendum vote successfully approves the property.

In May 2020, the City Council expressed its commitment to collaborate with the Pamunkey Indian Tribe as their favored casino partner. Furthermore, due to unforeseen circumstances, the council had to review their decision regarding the sale of land to the Tribe.

Had the previous deal been approved, the land would have obtained the status of sovereign tribal land, exempt from taxation and city services. However, the new deal guarantees that the land will not be declared sovereign and instead, the City of Norfolk will receive tax revenue, which will be used to benefit the community.

In January 2020, a new agreement was reached between The City of Norfolk and The Pamunkey Indian tribe, leading to the tribe’s signing of a deal to acquire land for the construction of a casino resort.

In November 2019, the City Council was compelled to reconsider the sale of the land to the Pamunkey Indian Tribe due to the efforts of an opposition group, who successfully gathered enough signatures.

In September 2019, the Norfolk City Council made the decision to sell land to the Pamunkey Indian Tribe, granting them permission to construct their inaugural land-based casino. The proposed development involved a resort casino in close proximity to Harbor Park.

About the Pamunkey Indian Tribe

On July 2, 2015, the Pamunkey Indian Tribe achieved federal recognition as a tribe.

The reservation, which is situated on the northern side of the James River near the Chesapeake Bay, is approximately 90 miles northeast of downtown Norfolk. This land was designated as one of the two original reservations under a treaty with the English colonial government.

For close to thirty years, the Pamunkey Indian tribe has been making preparations for the establishment of a casino.