Last week, Norfolk City Council members approved transferring the old Rosna Theatre property — the boxing program’s future home — to the city, allowing the Norfolk Economic Development Authority to sign a design/build agreement with the developer.

First announced by the city in July 2022, the redevelopment would transform the 12,500-square-foot property into a gym with two boxing rings, a bag room, a weightlifting area, spectator seating and more. Renderings show a restored Rosna Theatre marquee advertising upcoming bouts while outside TV monitors display fights happening inside.

Team Norfolk Boxing has been operating out of a temporary space in the Park Place Multi-Services Center since the program reopened in June 2022.

The program was moved from its two-ring, 13,000-square-foot home in Harbor Park because developers planned to install a temporary casino in the stadium. However, those plans fizzled out. 

The boxing program was on pause for two years before that due to the pandemic.

The time between the 2022 announcement and Tuesday’s City Council vote has been filled with contract negotiations with developers and allocating the funds from the city budget, said Sean Washington, Norfolk’s economic development director.

The Economic Development Authority purchased the space for $712,500 in April 2023, and Norfolk’s 2024 budget allocated $5 million toward funding the renovations.

On a Thursday afternoon at the Park Place facility, program participants — some as young as 6 — ran laps around the building before lacing up their gear and stepping into the ring. While two fighters sparred, the thuds from another boxer’s blows hitting a punching bag rang out in the background.

Boxing program head coach Tyler Trask watched the fighters with intensity, occasionally yelling out instructions.

“Keep your hands up,” he said.

Trask, who boxed with the program when he was younger, has been head coach since 2019. He said the size of the temporary facility doesn’t compare with Harbor Park — only one ring fits into the room with just a few feet to spare on one side — but the facility still accommodates the program’s needs.

“While we’re waiting, we’ve got a great setup,” Trask said. The facility also includes a bag room and weight room, and Trask said the boxers can use the connected gym at James Monroe Elementary School part time.

Now with City Council approval, Washington said the city public works department will conduct community engagement efforts, while VIA Design Architects completes the facility design work.

Washington declined to give an exact timetable, but estimated construction was at least several months away.

“We saw this as a strategic purchase to help spark the transformation of that corridor,” Washington said about the area along 35th Street.

Finally, Washington said Coaches Sports Grill, the restaurant operating on the property, will continue to exist as part of the new facility.

Norfolk’s boxing program is recognized around the world. It has produced Olympians such as 1984 gold medalist Pernell Whitaker — who won world titles in four weight classes as a professional — and 2021 silver medalist Keyshawn Davis. Keyshawn, along with brothers Kelvin and Keon, each will fight on a card Nov. 8 at Norfolk’s Scope arena.

The Rosna Theatre was built in the 1930s with an art deco design, according to boxing center proposal document, but has sat vacant for nearly a decade.

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

The advancements include some major changes. Development leaders said they have dropped a former financial backer and confirmed plans to install a temporary casino at the site to meet a deadline.

Pamunkey Indian Tribe Chief Robert Gray and Boyd Gaming Executive Vice President Uri Clinton discussed the changes in an interview Wednesday.

Jon Yarbrough, the Tennessee billionaire who originally created the company that oversees the casino development, is no longer involved with the project, Gray said. He is being replaced by Boyd as the majority owner of that company, Golden Eagle Consulting, said project spokesperson Jay Smith. The tribe also will have a 20% equity interest, according to city documents.

Gray said it was always the tribe’s intent to find a professional management team for the Norfolk project, and said they had met with several companies.

“Yes, we’ve had some challenges over the last few years,” Gray said. The project has encountered various delays and changes in scope since being announced in 2018. He said Boyd, a Nevada gaming operator with 28 locations in 12 states, shared the values and the vision for the development.

“We understand this marketplace,” Clinton, who is also Boyd’s general counsel and corporate secretary, said. “We understand how to be really good partners.”

Norfolk approves new major gaming operator to lead casino development

Clinton also confirmed plans to construct a temporary casino on the property in order to meet a deadline while the permanent location is being built. In order to meet a deadline for obtaining a gaming license by November 2025, Boyd plans to construct the temporary casino on the property starting in February 2025 and opening in November 2025, according to a project timeline submitted with city documents.

“It is truly transitional, temporary in nature,” Clinton said.

According to the timeline, the permanent casino would begin construction in January 2025 and open in September 2027. Current plans include a casino floor with 1,500 slots and 50 table games, a 200-room hotel, eight restaurants and a parking deck with more than 1,000 spaces, according to the project website.

Clinton said Boyd would spend around $500 million on the project.

Gray hoped the casino project would benefit both Norfolk and the Pamunkey Tribe. He said casino revenues would help the tribe with medical care, housing and education. The tribe was federally recognized in 2016 and has a reservation in King William County.

“The tribe wants to care for its own people, and we see this opportunity to empower our citizens,” Gray said.

Norfolk voters approved the casino development in a 2020 referendum. On Wednesday, Norfolk City Council members approved a series of votes making Boyd the project lead. The City Council still needs to approve a development certificate for the project.

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

In a series of votes Tuesday, Norfolk City Council members approved a plan for Boyd Gaming to take the helm of the casino project planned by the Pamunkey Indian Tribe.

“You can’t beat this deal,” said council member Tommy Smigiel. “I wish there were more people that were willing to give us money and not ask anything back from it.”

In a 7-1 vote, City Council members approved an amended option to purchase agreement, development agreement and a construction and use covenant between Norfolk, Golden Eagle Consulting and the Pamunkey tribe. Council member Andria McClellan, a longtime critic of the project, voted no.

Council members also voted 7-1 on a resolution certifying Golden Eagle as the preferred casino gaming operator for the project and 7-1 on a right of entry agreement between the city and the developer. McClellan voted no on both resolutions.

Addressing her votes, McClellan referenced years of inaction by developers and a significantly reduced scope compared to what was presented to Council members in years past.

“The dealer has changed and the deal has changed,” McClellan said.

Boyd released new figures Tuesday on the size and estimated economic impact of the casino, saying the development will include 1,500 slots and 50 table games and create 2,850 jobs during construction and 850 more during operation. A hotel is slated to have about 200 rooms. That’s far smaller than the original proposal introduced to City Council in 2019 under the prior casino partnership. That plan boasted a $700 million price tag, 500 hotel rooms and 3,500-4,500 slot machines and 100-225 table games.

The latest plans also layout construction of a “transitional casino” meant to open in November 2025. It would be operation while the permanent casino and resort is being built, with an anticipated opening in September 2027.

Rather than critique the years-long process, Smigiel applauded city officials and Mayor Kenny Alexander for making sure the city got a world-class facility, comparing the measured approach to what was happening with the Military Circle site. At Military Circle, the city shelved plans for an arena with a development team led by Pharrell Williams, and is now looking into a project anchored by a sports complex. With Military Circle as well, Smigiel said waiting was sometimes the right call.

Smigiel also said the casino development would attract locals who go to bigger casinos elsewhere, as well as tourists.

“I want their money,” he said. “I want their money to stay here.”

Norfolk casino plans have evolved. Here’s how today’s plans compare with previous proposals.

In an interview before the meeting, council member John “JP” Paige said Boyd would help developer a casino unlike any other in Virginia.

“We’re definitely in line with where we deserve to be,” Paige said.

A handful of public speakers voiced support for and against the project.

According to Boyd, the project could be a major economic windfall for the city. Boyd projects the development will create an economic impact of $510 million during construction and $2.9 billion during the first 10 years of operation.

In a news release, Boyd Gaming President and CEO Keith Smith said the company was pleased to become a development partner.

“The greater Norfolk area is one of the largest underserved gaming markets in the Mid-Atlantic region, and represents a compelling opportunity to further expand and diversify our company’s nationwide presence,” Smith said.

Three casinos are currently operational in Virginia, including the Rivers Casino Portsmouth located about 12 miles from Harbor Park. The permanent Portsmouth casino opened in January 2023. Two other temporary casinos are up and running in Danville and Bristol, with the permanent facilities now slated to open later this year.

Robert Gray, chief of the Pamunkey Tribe, said in the release his group was excited to partner with Boyd.

“In Boyd, we have found a partner with the national expertise, financial strength and strong commitment to community,” Gray said.

City documents recently revealed Boyd Gaming is set to become majority owner of Golden Eagle Consulting, the company created by casino backer Jon Yarbrough that oversees development of the Norfolk casino. Under the deal, the tribe will also possess a 20% equity interest in the company.

It’s unclear what Yarbrough’s role in the project would be going forward.

The tribe unveiled plans to construct a Norfolk casino next to Harbor Park in 2018. Since then, the project was hit with delays and revisions that significantly reduced the scope.

Current plans submitted to the Norfolk Architectural Review Board call for a 200-room, five-story hotel tower, parking deck, casino floor and several restaurants, among other features.

That board did not vote on those designs during Monday’s meeting, instead continuing the item to its Oct. 7 meeting, according to city officials.

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

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.

___

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.

___

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.

___

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