Norfolk Casino to Include Smokers’ Areas, Developers Say

As key markets across America continue to fight for smoke-free casinos, the Norfolk casino project developers have announced that the upcoming property will have dedicated smoking areas. Boyd Gaming promised that state-of-the-art ventilation systems will reduce health risks to the absolute minimum.

The Casino Is in Development

The Norfolk casino project is the brainchild of the Pamunkey Indian Tribe and is the tribal organization’s latest project so afar. The group is ambitious on creating the best property possible and, to that end, has onboarded the casino specialist Boyd Gaming to assist with the development.

The project became more than a distant dream once Virginia legalized casinos in five cities, including Norfolk, in 2020. Soon after that, the Pamunkey Indian Tribe struck a deal with the government, which allowed it to erect a casino in the Hampton Roads city.

Instead of a tribal establishment, the Norfolk property will be a commercial casino. It will notably include a shuttle service to make access easier.

An Enjoyable Environment for Everyone

As mentioned, the Norfolk casino would offer smoking areas. While Virginia’s 2009 Clean Air Act provides exemptions for casinos and racetracks, theoretically allowing them to allow smoking practically everywhere, the Norfolk casino plans to only allow smoking in dedicated areas.

Boyd Gaming’s executive vice president, Uri Clinton, said that his team wants to create an “enjoyable environment for everyone, smokers and nonsmokers.” He added that the modern technology would make that possible.

The plan is to use best-in-class ventilation to make sure that the smoke is kept away from the nonsmokers’ area.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), however, argued that the only way to protect casino workers and guests would be to ban smoking completely.

NJ Continues Fight for Smoke-Free Casinos

The CDC’s comment reflects an ongoing battle against indoor smoking across the US casino sector. Casino workers in Atlantic City have been very vocal about their disgruntlement with secondhand smoke and the dangers it poses to their health.

Casino companies have been reluctant to ban smoking as they fear that such a drastic solution would hurt their profitability. Proponents of this measure, however, have pointed out that nonsmokers’ casinos across America have remained popular despite the lack of indoor smoking.

New Jersey Republicans recently got involved in the matter, promoting bipartisan support for a legal measure that would ban smoking across New Jersey’s casino properties.