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City Council

The 2019 Something in the Water festival was “by far” the biggest event ever staged at Virginia Beach, says John Zirkle, president of the city’s hotel association. Photo courtesy city of Virginia Beach
Jan 22, 2025

Va. Beach gives Something in the Water 5-day deadline over contract breach

After receiving a brief reprieve, the clock is ticking for organizers for Pharrell Williams‘ Something in the Water music festival. Organizers were given five days to make significant progress in meeting Virginia Beach‘s requirements for a lineup of performers and a start to ticket sales, city officials decided Tuesday. If organizers do not meet the […]

Pharrell Williams performs on the second night of the 2023 Something in the Water festival. Photo by Heather Cromartie, courtesy Something in the Water
Jan 7, 2025

Something in the Water gets extension from Va. Beach

Pharrell Williams’ Something in the Water festival got a bit of a break Tuesday from Virginia Beach City Council members, who agreed to give the Virginia Beach-born music and fashion maven more time to fulfill an overdue part of the festival’s contract with the city. City Council voted 8-2 Tuesday to indefinitely defer an earlier […]

Oct 30, 2024

Roanoke City Council approves zoning changes — again

A residential zoning do-over in the Star City is done. At least for now. On Sept. 16, Roanoke City Council voted 6-1 to adopt zoning amendments that will allow greater housing density and eliminate single-family-only housing City Council adopted similar zoning amendments in March, but several city homeowners, including Republican mayoral candidate David Bowers and […]

Ida MaMusu, chef and co-owner of restaurant Africanne on Main, says the city’s prior parking regulations were costly and difficult for small businesses. Photo by Shandell Taylor
Jul 30, 2023

Parking repeal gives developers space

Opening a small business is never easy, but for many Richmond entrepreneurs, the city‘s previous minimum parking requirements added extra hassle. Two years ago, when restaurant Africanne on Main relocated from its longtime downtown location to a spot near Virginia Commonwealth University’s Monroe Park Campus, city parking regulations stalled the move for weeks, recalls co-owner [&helli[...]

Jul 30, 2023

Bristol makes tourism marketing switch

After 38 years, Bristol, Virginia, has switched destination marketing organizations. On June 13, City Council passed a resolution designating Bristol Regional Tourism Marketing Corp., better known as Explore Bristol, as its new DMO, the agency responsible for promoting the area to tourists. The former DMO, Discover Bristol, operated by the Bristol Chamber of Commerce, will […]

Jun 29, 2023

Norfolk purchases struggling MacArthur Center

In early June, Norfolk City Council members approved plans for the city to purchase the struggling MacArthur Center downtown mall for up to $18 million. The 23-acre mall is owned by Wells Fargo & Co., which holds the mall following a loan default by MacArthur Center’s previous owner, Connecticut-based Starwood Property Trust.  MacArthur Center was […]

Nov 3, 2022

Richmond seeks developers for Coliseum property

Two Richmond city authorities issued a request for interest Thursday to redevelop the area surrounding the Richmond Coliseum into a hotel-anchored mixed-use development, the City Center Innovation District. Owned by Richmond’s economic development authority, the 9.4-acre property includes the shuttered Coliseum and other structures that were part of the failed Navy Hill development proposal.[...]

The Cordish Cos.’ $600 million Live! Casino & Hotel is one of two casino proposals still under consideration in Richmond. Rendering courtesy The Cordish Cos.
Oct 19, 2022

Petersburg approves Cordish Cos. for possible casino

Petersburg City Council is taking a gamble on Maryland-based The Cordish Cos. to develop a casino there — even though Petersburg doesn’t yet have permission to build a casino, according to state law. Council members voted unanimously Tuesday in favor of Cordish,, a commercial real estate company that has developed casinos across the mid-Atlantic and […]

Sep 12, 2022

UPDATED: Richmond picks Diamond District development team

Updated Sept. 15 The city of Richmond announced Monday it has selected a joint venture including Richmond-based Thalhimer Realty Partners to build a new baseball stadium for the Richmond Flying Squirrels, as well as a mixed-use development surrounding the stadium, revitalizing the area into a new neighborhood to be known as the Diamond District. The […]

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