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Va. Beach uses SITW festival to woo business
It’s not every week that international fashion brand Louis Vuitton creates a pyramid on the sand at Virginia Beach’s Oceanfront. And that kind of buzz that music superstar Pharrell Williams is bringing to his hometown with his Something in the Water this weekend is something the city’s economic development officials are hoping to capitalize on […]
Richmond baseball stadium agreement reached — with year delay
The city of Richmond has reached an agreement with developers RVA Diamond Partners on the $2.44 billion Diamond District development and a new baseball stadium expected to open in spring 2026 — a year later than Major League Baseball’s April 2025 deadline. Now it’s up to MLB to decide whether to grant the city an […]
Va. to establish trade office in Taiwan
Virginia will establish a trade office in Taipei, Taiwan’s capital, Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Monday morning after meeting with that country’s president, Tsai Ing-wen. Youngkin’s meeting with Taiwan’s president came during the governor’s first international trade mission, during which he will also stop in Seoul, South Korean and Tokyo throughout the remainder of A[...]
Lego breaks ground on $1B Chesterfield facility
The Lego Group broke ground Thursday on its $1 billion Chesterfield County manufacturing facility — launching the Danish toymaker’s first U.S. manufacturing plant and one of Virginia’s biggest economic development projects. The Billund, Denmark-based toy company known for its brightly colored plastic toy bricks and construction sets plans to hire 1,761 people to work at […]
Hampton Roads organizations merge to form new roundtable
Two Hampton Roads regional economic development organizations are merging to establish the Hampton Roads Executive Roundtable, with the goal of unifying their efforts. The new organization will combine Hampton Roads Business Roundtable, established in 2012, and Reinvent Hampton Roads, established in 2016, with the primary mission of coordinating the alignment of the region’s economic develop[...]
Innovation, capital key to rural growth, Barkin and Warner say
There’s hope for economic growth in rural areas despite their challenges, Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond President and CEO Tom Barkin and U.S. Sen. Mark Warner said Wednesday during the Fed’s 2023 Investing in Rural America conference in Roanoke. Rural areas could overcome economic development challenges, particularly housing shortages and lack of broadband access, with innovation, [...]
German manufacturer to add 100+ jobs in Chesterfield
Germany-based Weidmüller Group will invest $16.4 million to expand its operations in Chesterfield County, creating more than 100 full-time jobs, Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Tuesday. Weidmüller Group provides smart industrial connectivity products and solutions that connect and automate electrical power and signaling for components, machines and installations worldwide. It will increase its eng[...]
Wheels rolling on Henrico arena
Plans for a 17,000-seat arena in Henrico County are rolling forward, now with an international operator, ASM Global, on board. The centerpiece of the $2.3 billion GreenCity development, the venue is expected to be delivered in the third quarter of 2026. Although the project’s design is being finalized, developers say it will be the nation’s […]
Norfolk airport hotel is ‘desperately needed’
An influx of 200-seat airplanes is bringing record numbers of passengers into Norfolk International Airport, leading officials to fast-track infrastructure upgrades and pursue construction of an airport hotel. There is high demand for on-site lodging, especially among airline crews and travelers taking early morning flights, who often stay at downtown Norfolk hotels, says Norfolk Airport […[...]
Planned Wise EDA will spur downtown growth
Establishing an economic development authority might pave the way for new businesses in the town of Wise, local officials believe. EDAs can provide educational programs and mentoring to entrepreneurs, as well as buy, lease and sell property and administer grants, points out Reagan Walsh, the town’s planner and zoning administrator. “I’ve run into a lot […]
Commonwealth Crossing plays ‘long game’ for success
Commonwealth Crossing Business Centre’s first two tenants — Polish flat-glass processor Press Glass Inc. and Pennsylvania-based aluminum beverage can manufacturer Crown Holdings Inc. — have invested at least $218 million into facilities at the industrial park in Henry County, creating about 400 jobs, according to Mark Heath, president and CEO of the Martinsville-Henry County Economic [&h[...]
Shoring up
Williamsburg, Jamestown and Yorktown are all significant parts of the nation’s foundation, and historic tourism drove the region’s economy during the 20th century. But Colonial Williamsburg hasn’t been enough to keep big crowds coming to the area consistently in the 21st century, even before the pandemic. Visitation dropped from 960,000 in 1999 to 534,000 in […]
