MGM National Harbor could get some competition somewhere in eastern Virginia.
The Pamunkey Indian Tribe, which has ties to Pocahontas and received federal recognition as a Native American tribe in 2016, is pursuing a $700 million gaming facility with 1,200-room hotel, performance venue and spa, according to reports.
If constructed, the venue would be the first casino in Virginia.
Chief Robert Gray told The Daily Press of Newport News, Virginia, the casino would not be built on the Pamunkey’s 1,200-acre reservation in King William County just northeast of Richmond. A location outside the reservation would have to be approved by the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs. It would have to be land that was once home to the tribe, according to the report, which would likely mean somewhere in eastern Virginia.
Gray said there is no timetable as to when the casino might launch. The tribe is working with an investor group, though a deal has not been finalized, and it has yet to line up financing, according to the report. Gray said the tribal council is interested in pursuing a revenue-sharing agreement with the state and locality where it builds the resort.