Ads for downtown Norfolk’s upcoming Restaurant Week have piqued loads of interest, and not just because of the food deals or eateries.

Among the sponsors listed for the event, running next Sunday to July 24, is casino operator Caesars Entertainment Corp., which owns no casinos in Norfolk – at least not yet. A casino was among the suggestions in a survey of local residents about future uses of Waterside Festival Marketplace.

Thus, Caesars’ sponsorship prompted many curious calls to the Downtown Norfolk Council, which puts on Restaurant Week, said Cathy Coleman, the council’s president. “That has raised more questions than you can possibly imagine,” she said.

The answer is not as intriguing as gambling fans might wish. Ron Zoby, co-owner of several downtown restaurants, including 456 Fish and Byrd Baldwin Bros. Steakhouse, runs a tour company that includes Caesars casinos among its destinations. He purchased the sponsorship in Caesars’ name, Coleman said.

Caesars sometimes promotes events in markets with a large number of potential customers so it can “increase our visibility in that area,” said Gary Thompson, a spokesman for the Las Vegas-based company. It has no plans to build a casino in Norfolk, he said, until Virginia legislators exhibit “a genuine effort and desire to legalize gambling in the state.”