White-tent casino marks first gaming floor in Norfolk
A yet-to-be-named casino opened its temporary gaming facility in Norfolk, Virginia, as a prelude to the opening of a $750m casino being developed by the Pamunkey Indian Tribe and Boyd Gaming, expected to be completed in late 2027.
The transitional, white-tent casino, located on the banks of the Elizabeth River in the heart of Norfolk named The Interim Gaming Hall opened on November 7, 2025 with 132 slot machines, including popular titles like Buffalo Ultimate Stampede, Dragon Link, and Lightning Link, and food and beverage services. The full-scale casino will open with 1,500 slot machines, 50 table games, eight restaurants, a 200-room hotel, and event center.
It marks the first gaming floor to be located in Norfolk, which has become the fourth locality in Virginia to host a casino following those in Bristol, Portsmouth and Danville.
Ron Bailey, Vice President and General Manager of Norfolk Casino, said: “There are a lot of people who’ve never even set foot into a casino before. It’s about creating a casino experience for them that’s going to make them want to come back and enjoy their time when they’re gaming.”
“It’s a small footprint. Because right behind us, is the full integrated resort that we’re going to be opening up in 2027. It’s taken some time, but here we are today and we’re very proud of what we’ve been able to produce in such a short period of time.”
All profits from the first day of operation were donated to the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and Eastern Shore.
Boyd Gaming was recently confirmed as the operational force for the Pamunkey Tribe’s proposed casino, which will house 1,500 slot machines, 50 table games, a 200-room hotel, and eight food and beverage outlets. The casino is projected to create more than 3,500 jobs and contribute $230m in annual wages and sales. A temporary casino, termed a ‘transitional’ casino is expected to meet the state’s deadline of November 2025, by which time a casino must be built and licensed by the Virginia Lottery.
Boyd Gaming is now the majority owner of Golden Eagle Consulting II, a company formed by the Pamunkey Indian Tribal Gaming Authority and Yarbrough, which won the city’s licence back in 2020.
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White-tent casino marks first gaming floor in Norfolk A yet-to-be-named casino opened its temporary gaming facility in Norfolk, Virginia, as a prelude to the opening of a $750m casino being developed by the Pamunkey Indian Tribe and Boyd Gaming, expected to be completed in late 2027. The transitional, white-tent casino, located on the banks of…
The post Interim Gaming Hall opens in Norfolk, Virginia, with construction underway on permanent casino appeared first on G3 Newswire.