A Norfolk, Virginia developer recently released a statement that said it had received “contradictory direction from the city,” according to a local news report from WTKR News 3. The letter was sent ahead of a recent meeting between developers of the proposed Headwaters Resort & Casino and the city of Norfolk.
According to the local news report, the statement mentioned two letters from the city. The first letter, dated in March, “outlined the next steps for the casino in a ‘two-phased conveyance of the subject property.’"
The Pamunkey Indian Tribe, a developer on the proposed project, later submitted a development certificate to the city of Norfolk. The Tribe presented a plan in June for the $500m casino resort project. The proposal asked for two construction phases, the first for the casino and the second for the resort.
Project spokesman Jay Smith told local news in June, "Our intention is to get this going as soon as possible once this is approved.”
The following month, a plan was presented by the developer to the Architectural Review Board.
After the meeting Patrick Roberts, the new City Manager, sent a letter to the developer stating, "While we acknowledge prior communication which contemplated a phased design approval process, we have no such amendments to our agreements which would allow for this."
The letter went on to state that the city “would not consider amendments that would risk the final project being anything less than what was agreed upon in 2020,” according to the local report.
Both groups have met since the letters were issued and said that they are still committed to the construction project.
