NORFOLK — The developer of the proposed Headwaters Resort and Casino next to Harbor Park pulled its development application from review by the city’s architectural review board Monday, according to city documents.
The city recommended the team of HeadWaters Resort and Casino development not present the application needed for a building certificate for the first phase of the casino, according to a spokesperson for the casino development group.
The decision to withdraw the plans comes after the Pamunkey Indian Tribe and their development partners had submitted a pared down plan in June that proposed building the casino and hotel in two separate phases.
The casino’s plans were on the agenda for consideration by the Architecture Review Board on Monday and the city Planning Commission on Thursday, but both items were continued. The review board’s agenda states the review was “indefinitely deferred by applicant.” The Pamunkey tribe, development team and city officials will instead meet privately Tuesday, according to a spokesperson for the developer.
It is unclear what the delay means for the future of the project or who in city government is meeting with the casino team. A spokesperson for the city did not respond to a request for comment by press time Monday. Mayor Kenny Alexander also did not respond to a request for comment.
Tuesday’s meeting comes after casino officials said they received contradictory guidance from the city in two different letters dated March 1 and July 14, according to the casino’s news release.
The tribe and development team requested a meeting after the most recent letter to “to get clarity from the City on its proposed path to acquire the land and begin construction on the resort as soon as possible,” according to the release.
The tribe and development team are “committed” to getting the casino and 300-room resort complete, according to the release.
“Despite changes of direction and the City’s desire to reduce the land we have available to build on, we intend to follow through on this pledge to build a $500 million resort and casino featuring a high end 300-room hotel and other amenities,” said Robert Gray, chief of the Pamunkey tribe in the release. “We are looking forward to a fresh start with the new city manager and his team on Tuesday.”
Norfolk voters initially approved the gaming facility in a 2020 referendum. Since then, several development plans have been discussed but there’s been little movement on the project.
The latest proposal, released in June, scrapped two previous plans to build a temporary casino — the first to house a temporary casino inside the Harbor Park baseball stadium while the permanent structure was built, and the second to build the temporary casino in the parking lot.
That plan, which was initially presented to the Architectural Review Board this month, lays out two phases for construction. Phase one included a 90,000-square-foot structure with a casino floor, sports bar, lobby and 1,200-space parking structure. The second phase would consist of a hotel, pool, spa, entertainment venue and other resort amenities. Developers said the total cost is projected at $500 million.
Ian Munro, 757-447-4097, ian.munro@virginiamedia.com
