The Pamunkey Indian Tribe is in the planning stages of opening a $700 million resort and casino that would be the Commonwealth’s first.
The Pamunkey Indian Tribe of King William County has started to pursue funding for the construction of a $700 million gaming facility on land that once belonged to the tribe. The Pamunkeys want to build a facility which would function as a resort and include a 1,200-room hotel, an event center for shows and performances, a spa, and a gaming casino that would be the very first in the State of Virginia. The tribe is currently working with an unnamed investor group to line up financing while also narrowing down the exact location on which to build the facility. Since gaining federal tribe status in 2015, the Pamunkeys have been floating the idea of building a casino, but until now they have not actively pursued plans for it. MGM Resorts -- the company that runs Maryland’s newest casino in the National Harbor just outside the District -- opposed the tribe’s bid for federal recognition for competition reasons, since recognition granted by the Bureau of Indian Affairs permits the tribe to partake in the gaming industry.
Once funding and a site can be procured, the facility would operate under the National Indian Gaming Association, independent of state regulations. Virginia currently only allows betting on horses and bingo, while games considered “games of chance” are barred.
Although the tribe can legally open a gaming facility in the state, the state government and leadership may have some qualms that could potentially alter or prevent the tribe’s plans from becoming a reality. However, working in the Pamunkeys’ favor is the fact that as many as 5,000 construction jobs would be created during the building process. The resort’s potential $200 million payroll and $1 billion impact on the state’s economy also may help to forge a partnership between the tribe and Commonwealth and local government in the form of a revenue sharing agreement that could help make the tribe’s plan happen.
As financing has not yet been procured, no potential launch date has been set. The Pamunkeys are, however, eligible for federal grants and assistance that could expedite the process and provide a clearer picture of when construction could perhaps begin.
