Pamunkey Indian Tribe announces name, logo of forthcoming Norfolk casino

Norfolk — After two and a half years known simply as the Pamunkey Indian Tribe casino proposal, the tribe has picked a name for the $500 million resort casino it plans to build in Norfolk.

The complex, alongside Harbor Park on the banks of the Elizabeth River, will be known as the HeadWaters Resort and Casino.

An announcement Tuesday said the name is a reference to new beginnings — “head waters” refers to the start of a river — as well as the historical importance of rivers to both the tribe and the city.

The logo includes a two-tone blue feather with a rippling water design.

“There’s just something about having a name that makes it feel more real,” Chief Robert Gray said in a written statement.

The announcement comes two weeks after the Tribe released updated renderings of the proposed casino project.

Approved by voter referendum last November after two years of proposals, discussions, protests and legislative action, the initial construction of the hotel-casino is expected to be done in 2023.

It also looks like the possibility of a second Pamunkey casino in Richmond has sunk. The tribe announced in late March that the project had been rejected by the city there, where a public competition for the city’s sole casino license has been heating up, according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

Ryan Murphy, 757-739-8582, ryan.murphy@pilotonline.com