Virginia voters say yes to casino in City of Petersburg

A referendum to permit a casino in the City of Petersburg passed as part of Virginia’s election results on Tuesday.

Over 10,000 voters said yes (81.53%) to allow a casino in the city while over 2,000 said no (18.47%). The casino was first offered to Richmond in 2021 and again in 2023. Both referendums failed to pass in the state capital.

The referendum passed on Tuesday overwhelmingly in all seven wards of Petersburg. Ward 4 provided the least support for the casino with 78% saying yes.

From Richmond to Petersburg

Peterburg became an eligible host city for a casino on July 1 after Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed legislation approving the change. This was after Richmond voters rejected the idea twice.

Development of the $1.4 billion mixed-use gaming entertainment resort, named Live! Casino and Hotel Virginia, will be managed by Baltimore-based The Cordish Companies.

The Cordish Companies is a gaming and real estate development company that has developed locations such as Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood and Tampa, Fla., Live! Casino & Hotel Maryland, Live! Casino & Hotel Pittsburgh, and Live! Casino & Hotel Philadelphia.

Following the victory on Tuesday, Zed Smith, chief operating officer of The Cordish Companies, said, “This community has waited a long time for an economic development project of this size and scale, which will provide a huge boost for the city and the entire region.”

Cordish says the project will create thousands of jobs, increase tourism, and generate billions in economic benefits to the city and surrounding area.  The project site is ideally situated at the intersection of Wagner Road and Interstate I-95 with easy access on and off the East Coast’s major north-south interstate.

Upon completion, the resort will feature more than 400,000 square feet of gaming, hotel, and dining space, 35,000 square feet of meeting and convention space, an upscale 200-room hotel featuring 20 suites, a resort pool and fitness center, 1,600 slot machines, 46 table games, including a 15-table poker room, sportsbook, a 3,000-seat entertainment venue, as well as for meetings, conventions, and social gatherings, and eight food and entertainment options.

Plans for the proposed project include quickly opening a first-phase casino within a year of all applicable approvals to begin creating jobs. The casino would be built on a 92.5-acre development site located off Interstate 95 at Wagner Road along Brassfield Parkway.

Current Virginia Casinos

Two temporary and one permanent casino are currently open in Virginia. The temporary Bristol Casino opened in July 2022 followed by Rivers Casino Portsmouth in January 2023 as Virginia’s first permanent location. A second temporary location, Danville Casino, opened in May 2023.

Bristol Casino will become Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Bristol following its grand opening on Nov. 14. In December, Danville Casino will expand to become a full resort known as Caesars Virginia. But the Commonwealth isn’t done yet.

Norfolk Casino

Last month, the City of Norfolk, along with Las Vegas-based Boyd Gaming, and the Pamunkey Indian Tribe held a groundbreaking ceremony to begin construction on a $750 million casino resort in Norfolk.

Robert Gray, Chief of the Pamunkey Indian Tribe told the audience they are ready to embark on a project that will make them more resilient and uplift the Norfolk community. The tribe first proposed a casino in Norfolk in 2018.

“We pursued opening a casino as a way to take control of our destiny, provide our own opportunities while also uplifting the community around us. And that's exactly what we intend to do,” Gray said.

The casino project, once titled HeadWaters Resort & Casino, was delayed several times due to design changes and disagreements between the tribe and city officials. Gray said those challenges “have nearly strengthened our relationship and our shared commitment bringing a best-in-market casino resort to Norfolk.”

Speaking at the groundbreaking, City of Norfolk Major Kenneth Alexander told attendees the casino project is the largest private investment in the city’s history.

“This project approved in 2020 by the voters, symbolizes the confidence in our city's future, not only as the epicenter, but more importantly, as the hub of economic activity and cultural significance in Hampton Roads, in partnership with Boyd Gaming and the Pamunkey Indian tribe,” Alexander said.

The Norfolk Casino will feature a 200-room hotel, 13,000 square feet of meeting space, a casino floor big enough to accommodate 1,500 slot machines and 50 table games, eight restaurants and bars, a Spa Fitness Center, and more.

Alexander said the casino will generate $510 million in local economic impact during construction, 2,850 temporary jobs and $173 million in wages, $2.9 billion in economic impact upon completion, 850 permanent jobs, and $583 million in local wages.

Current plans call for a temporary casino to be up and running in October 2025 with the full resort complex following in October 2027. The casino will be located between the city’s Harbor Park baseball stadium and Amtrak Station at 200 Park Ave.