NORFOLK, Va. (13NewsNow) – In a shocking turn of events, employees from various local businesses staged a protest during the groundbreaking ceremony for Norfolk’s highly anticipated casino on Thursday afternoon.
The groundbreaking ceremony, which was supposed to be a momentous occasion celebrating the development of the new casino, quickly turned chaotic as disgruntled employees held up signs and chanted slogans protesting their treatment by the casino’s developers.
The protesters, many of whom were wearing uniforms or holding signs representing their respective businesses, alleged that they had been mistreated and overlooked in the hiring process for the new casino. Some claimed they had been promised jobs once the casino opened, only to be left out in the cold when hiring decisions were made.
One protester, who asked to remain anonymous, said, “We’ve been working hard to support this project from the beginning, and now they’re shutting us out. It’s not right.”
The protest quickly drew attention from onlookers and media outlets, with cameras capturing the tense standoff between the protesters and casino officials. Police were called to the scene to maintain order, but no arrests were made.
In response to the protest, a spokesperson for the casino’s developers issued a statement saying, “We value our employees and are committed to providing fair and equitable opportunities for all individuals in our hiring process. We are aware of the concerns raised by some employees and are working to address them.”
Despite the disruption, the groundbreaking ceremony continued as planned, with city officials and representatives from the casino’s developers turning over shovels of dirt to mark the beginning of construction on the new casino.
The protest serves as a reminder of the complexities and challenges that often accompany large-scale development projects, particularly in communities where economic development is closely tied to the success of such projects. As Norfolk’s casino project moves forward, it remains to be seen how the concerns raised by the protesters will be addressed and whether they will have a lasting impact on the project’s progress.
