Chavdar Vasilev is a journalist covering the casino and sports betting market sectors for CasinoBeats. He joined CasinoBeats in May 2025 and reports on industry-shaping stories across the US and beyond, including legislative debates, market...
Read Full BioAfter years of delays, Norfolk’s casino project has taken a significant step forward: the city council approved a lease with Boyd Gaming for nearly 3.87 acres of city land, clearing the path for construction.
The lease, which will run until December 2027 at $5,000 per month, is intended to clear logistical hurdles for the long-planned resort, allowing Boyd to utilize portions of land near the casino construction for parking and storage of construction materials.
The deal includes an option for Boyd to adjust the footprint as needs change, with the rent adjusted accordingly.
Per Virginia law, Boyd must open a temporary casino by November 15. Ron Bailey, general manager of the interim casino, told 13 News Now that the temporary gaming hall is ahead of schedule. It will feature 130 slot machines, but no table games or sportsbook. Additionally, food and alcohol will be available. It will operate seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 2 a.m.
The interim location is expected to employ approximately 75 people. Meanwhile, the permanent resort is anticipated to generate around 850 jobs.
Norfolk’s Casino Saga: From Referendum to Lease
Norfolk voters approved the casino in a referendum in November 2020. That marked one of four Virginia cities to do so after the General Assembly authorized casinos in five “host cities” earlier that year.
Richmond, the fifth, later rejected the proposal twice at the ballot box. The state then chose Petersburg as the final location.
Despite being the first to receive a license, the Norfolk casino project has faced numerous delays. Reasons include design changes, financing challenges, community negotiations, and regulatory hurdles.
The Pamunkey Indian Tribe, Norfolk’s chosen developer, partnered initially with Tennessee billionaire Jon Yarbrough. Yarbrough promised a luxury resort called HeadWaters Casino & Resort. However, in 2024, the tribe brought in gaming giant Boyd Gaming as an operating partner to stabilize the effort.
The developers held a groundbreaking ceremony in October 2024, and construction commenced in February 2025. As the referendum rules required gaming within five years, Boyd and the tribe must open a temporary casino.
The partners project that the permanent complex will cost $750 million. The development will feature 1,500 slot machines, 50 table games, a 200-room hotel, eight restaurants, meeting space, and a rooftop deck. A 1,000-space garage and Amtrak-dedicated parking are also included.
Norfolk officials forecast $290 million in annual economic impact and more than $30 million in yearly tax revenue once the resort opens.
Virginia’s Casinos: Three Open, Two on the Way
Norfolk’s progress comes as Virginia’s broader casino plan takes shape.
- Rivers Casino Portsmouth — Opened January 2023 as the state’s first permanent casino.
- Hard Rock Bristol — A temporary facility opened in July 2022, with a permanent resort following in November 2024.
- Caesars Virginia (Danville) — Launched temporary operations in May 2023, and the permanent resort opened in December 2024.
- Norfolk – Temporary casino opening in November 2025 and permanent resort in 2027.
- Live! Casino Virginia (Petersburg) — Temporary casino expected to open by the end of 2025. The developer, Cordish Companies, estimates that it could open the permanent casino as early as 2027.
With Petersburg underway, the state is getting closer to realizing all of the casinos authorized under the original law. That’s unless lawmakers open the door to new locations.
Tysons: A Casino Push in Northern Virginia
While the 2020 law allows up to five casinos, a developer is lobbying for a sixth in Fairfax County, just outside Washington, D.C. Comstock Companies is looking to build a casino in Tysons, home to numerous office buildings, many of which have yet to recover from the pandemic.
The prospect has drawn fierce opposition from neighborhood coalitions. Still, it offers operators access to one of the wealthiest and most densely populated regions in the state.
The issue gained some political momentum earlier this year when state senator Ghazala Hashmi scored a Democratic primary victory. Hashmi has previously shown support for a referendum to add another casino site.
Supporters argue that a Tysons casino could generate much-needed tax revenue for the area. It would also keep gaming dollars from leaving for neighboring Maryland, home to MGM National Harbor just across the Potomac River.
Opponents warn of congestion, social harms, and backroom influence peddling. A local organization, No Fairfax Casino Coalition, promises to fight any legislative maneuver that bypasses voters.
Could Online Casinos be Next?
As the land-based casino scene in Virginia takes shape, lawmakers have also discussed online casinos (iGaming).
Lawmakers introduced two companion bills, HB 2171 and SB 827, that would legalize online slots and table games under state regulation. However, the proposals failed to gain traction.
In August, lawmakers revisited the topic during a meeting of the Joint Subcommittee to Study the Feasibility of Establishing the Virginia Gaming Commission.
While the priority of the discussions was the creation of a new Virginia Gaming Commission, supporters pitched iGaming as a natural complement to brick-and-mortar casinos. They cited New Jersey as a model where online and physical properties coexist. As in many other states, skeptics worry about cannibalization and gambling addiction.
For many, iGaming will remain in the background until the Norfolk and Petersburg casinos open and the Virginia Gaming Commission is fully operational.
