The Norfolk casino project has taken a big step forward. The city’s Architectural Review Board (ARB) gave it the green light to move ahead even though some design issues are still up in the air.
Norfolk Casino Faces Calls for Further Design Refinements Before Moving Ahead
The ARB, which keeps an eye on city property developments, said yes to the project with a 6-1 vote, reported WAVY-TV. This pushes it closer to the Norfolk Planning Commission. However, people are still talking about how the project might affect the area around it. They are worried about things like keeping birds safe and how it would look on the waterfront.
The Pamunkey Indian Tribe and Boyd Gaming, a casino operator from Las Vegas, are working together on the casino project. Boyd Gaming bought an 80% share in the venture from Jon Yarbrough, a billionaire from Tennessee. Yarbrough had teamed up with the Pamunkey Tribe to build a casino in King William County. The casino in Norfolk set to be built on a 9.35-acre plot near Harbor Park, takes the place of earlier plans for a tribal casino. It focuses on Norfolk as one of five cities in Virginia allowed to host commercial casinos after a public vote in 2020.
ARB members stressed the need to finalize the design details before giving full approval. Gregory Rutledge, an ARB member, pointed out how important this project is for the city’s waterfront calling it a future landmark…