Almost six years later, the project has a new planned development partner and a much smaller scope. Gone is the enormous tower, replaced by plans for a modest five-story, 200-room hotel and minimum spending of at least $300 million, according to a new development agreement City Council members will vote on Tuesday.

Even so, Mayor Kenny Alexander said he believes the Pamunkey’s new partner Boyd Gaming has the track record and legitimacy to follow through on development, including financing the project to the tune of more than $500 million.

“We’re very confident in Boyd’s ability to exceed our expectations, and more importantly, be a great corporate citizen,” Alexander said.

Here’s how the proposals for the casino have changed over the years.

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Current plans call for scaled-back project

Design teams presented the current casino plans, backed by Boyd, to the Norfolk Architectural Review Board in August. They include:

• A 200-room, five-story hotel tower
• An at-least 935-space parking garage
• An outdoor pool and bar
• Restaurants, including a food hall with four or five restaurants; a sports bar and a steakhouse
• A fitness center and spa

Absent from the latest plans and the agreements is a marina on the Elizabeth River, which was shown in previous renderings.

However, the agreements would require casino developers to pay for part of two significant waterfront projects — up to $7.5 million for the southern portion of the downtown Norfolk seawall project and up to $562,000 to maintain the portion of the Elizabeth River Trail near the property.

The city documents reveal Boyd, a major Nevada gaming company with 28 properties in 10 states, is set to become the new majority owner of Golden Eagle Consulting, the company created by Yarbrough that oversees development. Under the new agreement, the Pamunkey Indian Tribe also would possess a 20% equity interest in the company.

It’s unclear from the documents whether Yarbrough would have a role in the new agreement. Alexander also didn’t know.

“I’ve never met him,” Alexander said about the billionaire backer. “I’ve never had a conversation with him on a telephone. I’ve never met him.”

Also removed from renderings is the name Golden Eagle previously used for the development: HeadWaters Casino and Resort.

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Significantly smaller than 2019 plan

The latest plans are smaller in scale than what was presented to the City Council in September 2019, about a year before Norfolk voters passed a referendum authorizing the casino. Those plans included:

• A $700 million price tag
• 500 four-diamond hotel rooms
• 3,500-4,500 slot machines and 100-225 table games
• A 750-seat entertainment venue and a spa
• 3-5 restaurants
• Roughly 6,500 parking spaces

Some city officials, including former City Manager Chip Filer, were skeptical of the tribe’s initial investment figures. In a December 2019 economic analysis, the city predicted the developers would only spend $375 million on the project. As recently as 2023, however, tribe officials said investment in the development would top $500 million and include at least 300 hotel rooms.

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Agreement includes minimum standards

The new development agreement, like the old agreement, comes with minimum standards that must be met. It requires a minimum investment of $300 million. Other minimum standards detailed in an option-to-purchase agreement include:

• A casino floor with at least 750 electronic gaming machines and 25 table games
• At least 150 hotel rooms, with a lobby bar, retail store and coffee shop
• Several food and beverage venues including a food hall, a sports bar and grill, and a fine dining restaurant and lounge
• A 500-seat “intimate showroom”
• A parking garage with at least 103 spots for Amtrak customers
• An outdoor function space
• A spa and fitness center

A 2019 agreement by the developer and Norfolk also includes similar minimum figures, such as 750 gaming machines, 25 tables and 150 hotel rooms.

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Timeline and construction phasing

One of the biggest hangups with the project has been the phasing of planned construction. An initial plan would have housed a temporary casino inside Harbor Park baseball stadium while the permanent structure was built. But that was scrapped after the city ran into statutory issues with using the location.

Developers later pitched a phased construction plan that built the casino first followed by the hotel and resort. But city leaders made clear they did not support the two-phase approach, and the design was pulled from review.

Alexander said, unlike the past proposals that included temporary gaming, he is confident Boyd can deliver on the whole project in a single phase.

Norfolk voters approved the casino construction in a 2020 referendum, which came with a five-year deadline. To meet that deadline for obtaining a state gaming license, Boyd plans to build a temporary casino at the site while construction for the permanent casino commences. The temporary casino would open in late 2025 and the permanent space in late 2027, according to a project timeline.

Norfolk City Council members will vote on the option-to-purchase agreement, development agreement and construction and use covenant Tuesday.

Trevor Metcalfe, 757-222-5345, trevor.metcalfe@pilotonline.com

Boyd Gaming Corp., a gaming company with several casinos in Las Vegas and across the country, would step in and help develop the casino planned for land next to Harbor Park downtown. But a proposed development agreement shows the new casino plan may revert back to operating a temporary casino while the permanent gaming facility is under construction.

According to public notice published by the city, the Norfolk City Council will vote Sept. 10 on an ordinance that amends terms of purchase and the development agreement with Golden Eagle Consulting and the Pamunkey tribe. The proposed ordinance states that Boyd would become majority owner in Golden Eagle Consulting, the company created by billionaire Jon Yarbrough that oversees development. The tribe would also possess a 20% equity interest in the company.

It’s unclear from the documents what Yarbrough’s future role would be in the project. But according to the option to purchase, Boyd and the tribe would be the only owners of Golden Eagle Consulting.

Boyd also appears to be reviving plans for a temporary casino in order to meet a statutory deadline, according to a project timeline included in the documents. Called a “transitional casino,” construction would begin Feb. 24, 2025 and the casino would open Nov. 5, 2025 — in time to meet a deadline for obtaining a gaming license by November 2025.

According to the timeline, construction of the permanent casino would begin Jan. 13, 2025, with the casino opening Sept. 13, 2027.

In a short joint statement, the tribe and Boyd said, “Boyd Gaming has started the process required to help the Tribe bring its vision to fruition, in a way that will deliver meaningful benefits for the Tribe, the city of Norfolk and the Commonwealth of Virginia.”

The latest plans also include a scaled-back 200-room hotel, an at-least 935-space parking garage, a pool, restaurants, a spa and fitness center.

However the development agreements states that the minimum capital investment for the project would be $300 million. Previously, developers promised a $500 million facility.

It has been more than five years since the tribe signaled interest in building a casino on a land parcel next to Harbor Park. Norfolk voters approved the casino construction in a 2020 referendum, which came with a five-year deadline. But the project has undergone several delays and changed plans over the years.

If the developer does not obtain a gaming license by that time, voters would need to approve another referendum. Some state lawmakers have told The Virginian-Pilot they are open to the idea of extending the deadline.

Boyd operates 28 properties in 10 states, though none in Virginia, according to its website. The company made $3.7 billion in revenue in 2023 and posted a profit of around $620 million.

In a second quarter earnings call held July 25, Boyd CEO and President Keith Smith said the company was exploring a number of unannounced capital projects.

Trevor Metcalfe, 757-222-5345, trevor.metcalfe@pilotonline.com

Hundreds showed up to U.S. Rep. Bobby Scott’s cookout to hear Emhoff speak as the presidential election heads into its final weeks. Emhoff touted Harris’ achievements while contrasting her vision with that of former President Donald Trump.

“Kamala is pro-worker,” Emhoff said. “She’s pro-business and she’s pro-family. Donald Trump is pro-himself.”

Emhoff described a whirlwind last few weeks as President Joe Biden dropped out of the race and Harris clinched the Democratic nomination. He said many conversations with Harris nowadays are to discuss which battleground states they will be visiting that day.

He also praised her commitment to labor unions while describing Trump and U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance’s campaign as offering nothing but authoritarianism and misogyny.

“That’s their platform,” Emhoff said. “That’s all they got.”

Dozens of other candidates and elected officials, including Scott, U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, U.S. Reps. Jennifer McClellan, Abigail Spanberger and others, attended the event.

Scott said the cookout, which is held at his childhood home, began in 1977 with just around 30 attendees as a way to thank volunteers before the last campaign push before November. Around 1,300 people attended the event Monday, according to campaign officials.

“We appreciate the neighbors putting up with it, but it’s great fun,” Scott said.

It was a busy Labor Day for the Harris campaign. She made stops in Detroit and in Pittsburgh with Biden, according to the campaign. Her running mate, Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota, spoke at a labor gathering in Milwaukee.

Trump did not schedule any Monday events, according to his campaign website. He plans to hold a Saturday rally in central Wisconsin.

Early voting in Virginia begins Sept. 20.

Trevor Metcalfe, 757-222-5345, trevor.metcalfe@pilotonline.com

In a statement, Portsmouth Police Chief Stephen Jenkins said a 15-year-old boy was shot due to an unsecured firearm around 1:45 p.m. He was wounded in the thigh and abdomen.

Jenkins called the shooting a “shocking and completely preventable incident” and said police haven’t yet been able to determine how the boy was shot.

Police said they were called to the 1100 block of Virginia Avenue, where they found the teen. He was transported to the Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters for treatment.

The investigation is ongoing, and police did not provide an update on the teen’s condition.

Police obtained warrants for child neglect for Maurice Savage, Naomi Savage and Demetric Ralph.

Adults attempted to remove other firearms and other evidence from the scene before police arrived, Jenkins said. He admonished those actions, saying they endanger lives and impede thorough investigations.

He also urged adults to keep firearms out of the reach of children and practice responsible gun ownership.

Trevor Metcalfe, 757-222-5345, trevor.metcalfe@pilotonline.com

Police said they responded to a call in reference to an unresponsive woman around 2:25 a.m. in the 1000 block of 75th Street. They found 36-year-old Emma Carolina Lopez Navarre inside the residence. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

After a preliminary investigation, police said they arrested 47-year-old Javier Hernandez-Orellana and charged him with second-degree homicide.

Trevor Metcalfe, 757-222-5345, trevor.metcalfe@pilotonline.com

Demolition began Monday, said Chuck McPhillips, chair of the board of directors for Next Step to Success. The Norfolk nonprofit plans to construct a youth center across 9 of the property’s 15 acres. He said demolishing the structures would continue for about a year before construction begins — with the new facility slated to open in January 2027.

“It’s a massive campus and a lot of work entailed in doing that,” McPhillips said.

The nonprofit, which currently provides afterschool programming for about 90 students, purchased the property from Bon Secours for $5.7 million in December, according to city documents. The Norfolk real estate assessor’s office valued the property at roughly $4.1 million in July.

The group plans to build a campus, called the St. Vincent DePaul House, on the site with activity rooms, a gym, soccer field, media center and other features. McPhillips said the group also plans to construct several tennis courts.

He said the after-school and summer programs would be free to students, and transportation from school and to their homes would be provided.

“We took a leap of faith in making this investment,” McPhillips said, because the group’s goal of reducing poverty in the city is so important.

DePaul was founded in 1855 as the Hospital of St. Vincent de Paul, the first hospital in Norfolk for civilians, according to Virginian-Pilot archives. The hospital was moved to the location off Granby Street in 1944 and was a part of the community for decades. However, owner Bon Secours closed the location in 2021 after a major decline in patients.

A plan to convert the space into almost 500 luxury apartments fell through in late 2023, with a representative for developer Marathon Group citing higher construction costs and interest rates.

Next Step To Success was founded in 2021 through the James Barry Robinson Trust, McPhillips said. That trust, from former Norfolk businessman Frederick J. Robinson, also helped create The Barry Robinson Center behavioral health facility.

The trust will partially fund the new youth center, but McPhillips said the nonprofit will also work to partner with area businesses and other donors. He said the program would start with space for about 200 students and gradually ramp up to 400 or so.

Trevor Metcalfe, 757-222-5345, trevor.metcalfe@pilotonline.com

With a sports complex open in Virginia Beach and another under construction in Williamsburg, the Norfolk City Council is investigating the feasibility of a sporting facility anchoring a redevelopment project at the former Military Circle mall property.

Two consultants presented plans to study the economic impact and cost of redevelopment and create a master plan for the site during a City Council work session Tuesday.

“We see this as an opportunity to create a new, livable mixed-use community also with destination appeal,” said Mark Erdly of Gensler, a design firm studying the property.

Erdly said the consultant envisioned a sports complex anchoring the site, with other features including housing, retail, food and a hotel.

Some Council members approved of the sports complex idea, but others wanted to better understand the market for such a development. Mamie Johnson hoped the redevelopment could — like the former mall — also make the space a safe hangout spot for young people.

Council member JP Paige, who represents Ward 4 where the mall is located, said in an interview that students who play sports have a better chance at being successful in life. However, he wanted to make sure the city did its research and investigated how similar complexes were doing.

City Council member Courtney Doyle voiced a similar opinion during Tuesday’s meeting. She asked the consultants to study facilities not only in Hampton Roads, but across the state, when investigating the demand for another sports complex.

“Others are getting into the sphere now,” Doyle said. “I really want a very honest and realistic comparative analysis for the intake area that we’re going to be developing.”

Williamsburg recently broke ground on an $80 million, 200,000-square-foot indoor sports complex expected to open in 2026. The $68 million Virginia Beach Sports Center in opened 2020. That facility has been operating at a loss according to a 2023 city audit, even though it is bringing more business to area hotels, restaurants and shops.

Utah-based Victus Advisors is studying the economic feasibility of the Norfolk sports complex. Founder Brian Connolly told council members typical facilities could be used every day — by local teams during the week and for travel teams and tournaments during the weekend. He also touted the spending power of traveling athletes and their families, who usually come from up to five hours away and spend two nights in the area.

The consultants are soliciting input from several community stakeholders, including the East Side Task Force, a city group made up of representatives from neighborhoods near Military Circle.

In 2020, Norfolk purchased the parts of Military Circle not owned by Sentara Health and issued a request for proposals for redevelopment. The three finalists included Wellness Circle, a Pharrell Williams-backed plan that included an arena. Norfolk City Council entered talks with Williams’ team, but after months of negotiations city officials said those plans had been scrapped in November.

Erdly said the firms will develop recommendations from market analysis in about four to six week, then create a master plan to present to City Council members in about 12 weeks.

Trevor Metcalfe, 757-222-5345, trevor.metcalfe@pilotonline.com

CAN Community Health, a Florida-based nonprofit, is suing the Norfolk-based Life Center for $1.1 million over what CAN lawyers said is money owed from a failed 340B drug program. The federal 340B Drug Pricing Program allows entities to help low-income and uninsured patients with pharmaceutical drug costs.

But attorneys for the Life Center said the failed partnership with CAN cost the organization around $3.2 million to date — more than a third of the nonprofit’s $9 million operating budget for 2023, according to earlier Virginian-Pilot reporting. And they claim that CAN violated a partnership agreement by not disclosing ownership in a pharmacy company it asked the Life Center to use.

CAN filed the lawsuit in May 2023 in Norfolk Circuit Court. Attorneys are now seeking for a judge to rule in the organization’s favor by summary judgement rather than bring the case to trial.

In a new response opposing that motion for summary judgement, the Life Center attorneys argue that by violating the partnership agreement first, CAN nullified the arrangement and the amount of money CAN is suing over.

First, attorneys said CAN encouraged the Life Center to use a pharmacy company, Mail-Meds, which CAN had recently acquired a majority ownership stake in, to “in effect, double or triple charge” the Life Center an extra $2,500 a month. They said CAN leaders also failed to tell the Life Center about the ownership.

Next, Life Center lawyers said CAN began planning to transfer Life Center 340B patients to its own Norfolk operations without notifying the Life Center. Finally, CAN began leasing a Norfolk clinic location it had been subleasing from the Life Center again without notifying the Life Center, lawyers said.

For decades, the Life Center has offered several services to the Hampton Roads LGBT+ community, including housing, health care and counseling. Operation of a pharmacy run through the 340B program and a testing program for sexually transmitted infections were among its biggest services.

The center’s attorneys said in court filings the alleged “bad faith self-dealing” by CAN violates Virginia law and excuses the Life Center from paying the $1.1 million to CAN.

“LGBT (Life Center) would never have agreed to this arrangement had it known of CAN’s controlling ownership interest in Mail-Meds or negotiated differently,” Life Center CEO Stacie Walls said in a sworn declaration.

In an earlier motion for summary judgement, attorneys for CAN detailed how the partnership fell apart as the Life Center struggled with cash flow issues. In a July 2022 email exchange included in the court filings, Walls told CAN CEO and President Rishi Patel that the Life Center is experiencing challenges financing the upfront program costs.

Patel responded by saying CAN is still owed more than $1 million for the program.

“You state you are experiencing a challenge with cash flow managing the 340B program but please understand we are owed a lot of money and are operating a clinic with zero money coming in,” Patel said in the email.

CAN attorneys said the nonprofit performed its role in the partnership consistent with the agreement, while the Life Center made three payments, then refused to pay the rest of what was owed. Additionally, CAN lawyers said none of the actions taken regarding the pharmacy ownership, lease or patient transfer constitute a contract breach.

Life Center representatives and attorneys did not respond to attempts for comment. In an email, Patel declined to comment on pending litigation.

In 2023, Walls’ leadership at the organization was criticized by former employees and board members in a Pilot investigation.

In response, Walls outlined several changes at the organization, including a new human resources position. The Life Center is also constructing a $3.3 million Peninsula location in Hampton, with a grand opening planned for Sept. 5.

Earlier this month, the Life Center also announced it received a significant reduction in funding from the Virginia Department of Health for community-based HIV and sexually-transmitted disease prevention programs, resulting in layoffs and a reduction in outreach activities, according to a news release.

Trevor Metcalfe, 757-222-5345, trevor.metcalfe@pilotonline.com

The presentation, by Daron Andrus with the HKS architectural firm, comes after months of silence on the casino front. Developers previously presented plans for a two-phase development approach for the HeadWaters Resort and Casino in July 2023, but withdrew the plans from consideration after city officials voiced disapproval.

While a timeline for construction and operation remains unclear, the new forward momentum could open the door for gaming to begin in time to meet a looming regulatory deadline, said Norfolk Mayor Kenny Alexander.

“An initial building may open first, if that’s what it takes to secure the license,” Alexander said.

HeadWaters spokesperson Jay Smith previously told The Virginian-Pilot construction would have needed to start in the spring to meet the statutory deadline for obtaining a gaming license by November 2025.

The most recent plans for the development, presented to the Norfolk Architectural Review Board, include a casino, an at-least 935-space parking garage and a five-story, 200-room hotel tower on the 6.5-acre site. Other features presented include an outdoor pool and bar, a food hall with four or five restaurants, a sports bar, a steakhouse, a fitness center and a spa, among others.

Andrus said the hotel had been scaled back from 300 to 200 rooms due to costs and a market analysis study showing a smaller number of rooms would meet the developer’s needs. The design also is scheduled to be constructed in a single phase, he said.

Andrus did not say during Monday’s presentation how long construction is estimated to take.

In comments, review board members asked the developer to look into ways to make the glass windows safe for birds and to make the outside building design scheme more consistent.

Alexander said he was pleased with the latest casino design, especially the fact it would be constructed in a single phase.

In an emailed statement, the Pamunkey Indian Tribe said they were excited to take the next step in the design and approval process for the resort.

“This will be a resort experience of which the Tribe and the citizens of Norfolk can be proud,” the statement continued.

It has been more than five years since the tribe signaled interest in building a casino on a land parcel next to Harbor Park. Norfolk voters approved the casino construction in a 2020 referendum, which came with a five-year deadline. If the developer does not obtain a gaming license by that time, voters would need to approve another referendum. Some state lawmakers have told The Pilot they are open to the idea of extending the deadline.

State Del. Paul Krizek, D-Alexandria, who chairs a gaming subcommittee, said in an email lawmakers will continue to monitor the deadline issue. He also said he stood by to help the tribe, noting that it was one of the original proponents of casino gaming in Virginia.

In the years since the referendum, the casino plans were amended multiple times and beset by delays and an address-related legal issue as the developer struggled to begin construction.

Andrus said architects would be back in a few weeks to present more designs to the board. The casino developer needs approval from Norfolk City Council and other city boards before the project can move forward.

Trevor Metcalfe, 757-222-5345, trevor.metcalfe@pilotonline.com

Board members will discuss construction of the HeadWaters Resort and Casino at a meeting Monday afternoon, according to the agenda.

In a presentation document from the firms HKS and SWA Group, the revamped casino design includes an at-least 935-space parking garage, casino, hotel, spa, restaurants, a fitness center and pool with outdoor bar, among other features. The presentation also has several floor plans and new renderings.

The presentation includes design descriptions that are similar to plans submitted in December. They describe the project as an attempt to pay homage to Norfolk’s maritime history.

“The graceful curves of the shipping channels and railroad lines that once traversed the site have been translated into various components of the project,” the presentation reads.

The casino developer needs site plan approval from the Norfolk City Council before the city will sell the land for the project.

“We are very encouraged by the most recent application for a development certificate which is now proceeding through the review process,” Norfolk spokesperson Kelly Straub said in an emailed statement about the latest designs. “The city of Norfolk remains committed to fostering a vibrant and thriving community, and the resort casino is poised to be a cornerstone of this vision.”

Monday’s meeting comes a few months after Norfolk officials told The Virginian-Pilot they were considering a new casino developer as plans for HeadWaters stalled. City Attorney Bernard Pishko had said Norfolk would either build a casino with the Pamunkey Indian Tribe and financial backer Golden Eagle Consulting LLC. or have another developer take their place.

HeadWaters spokesperson Jay Smith previously told The Pilot construction would have needed to start in the spring to meet the statutory deadline for obtaining a gaming license by November 2025.

Smith declined to provide any further information this week on what will be presented Monday or any potential timeline.

It has now been more than five years since the Pamunkey tribe signaled interest in building a casino on a land parcel next to Harbor Park. Norfolk voters approved the casino construction in a 2020 referendum, which came with a five-year deadline. If an applicant had not obtained a gaming license within that time, another referendum would be required. Some state lawmakers have said they are open to the idea of extending the deadline.

In the years since the referendum, the casino plans were amended multiple times, and plagued by delay and a legal issue as the developer struggled to begin construction. Developers announced a plan for a temporary casino on the Harbor Park property in 2022, then the city tabled those plans after issues of complying with the referendum language.

Then, the developer announced a two-stage casino construction plan in mid-2023. Those plans, too, were pulled after city leaders indicated they would reject it.

Most recently, the developer pulled more revamped plans from Architectural Review Board review twice in January.

Trevor Metcalfe, 757-222-5345, trevor.metcalfe@pilotonline.com