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$681M subsea cable plant coming to Chesapeake
A U.S. subsidiary of a South Korean cable manufacturer plans to build a $681 million subsea cable manufacturing plant in Chesapeake, the company announced Tuesday. The project is expected to create 338 jobs. LS GreenLink USA’s Chesapeake subsea cable factory will be built at the Deep Water Terminal Site in Chesapeake, a 96-acre property located […]
Simmons Equipment announces $8.5M expansion into Russell County
Simmons Equipment, a specialty mining equipment manufacturer based in Tazewell County, plans to expand into neighboring Russell County, Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Monday. The company expects to invest $8.5 million into converting two buildings in Lebanon, an investment set to create 75 jobs, the governor’s office said. Founded in Tazewell in 2005, Simmons produces soft […]
Catch a wave
Updated July 26: Chuck Rigney resigned as economic development director after six months on the job. After three decades recruiting businesses to Norfolk, Portsmouth and Hampton, Charles E. “Chuck” Rigney is tackling a new challenge: leading Virginia Beach’s economic development. Rigney was named the Resort City’s permanent economic development director in February. It was one year [&hell[...]
Liebherr to expand Newport News-Hampton facility
Newport News-based Liebherr Mining Equipment will invest $72.3 million to expand a plant at the border of Newport News and Hampton, creating an estimated 175 jobs, Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Tuesday. “We thank Liebherr, an international leader in mining equipment manufacturing, for its commitment to the commonwealth of Virginia,” Youngkin said in a statement. “Liebherr […]
Fredericksburg econ dev director leaving after 10 years
Bill Freehling, Fredericksburg’s director of economic development and tourism, will leave his position Friday, he wrote in a farewell blog post on the economic development department’s website this week. A former Free Lance-Star reporter and editor, Freehling served eight years as the city’s economic development director and two years as assistant director. In an email […]
Landmark Mall redevelopment in the works
Used as a vintage backdrop to film scenes for “Wonder Woman 1984” and anchored by bankrupt retailers like Sears, the Landmark Mall in Alexandria was a relic. Almost two decades ago, the City of Alexandria first began strategizing a redevelopment of the 1960s-era indoor mall, which closed in 2017, but plans for a new 18-hour […]
Specialty gift manufacturer establishes $1.4M Harrisonburg operation
Boxer Gifts, a British manufacturer of specialty, often wacky gifts, including the “poo timer” and “old age emergency pants,” will invest $1.4 million to establish its first U.S. light manufacturing, distribution and wholesale operation in Harrisonburg, Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Tuesday. The project is expected to create 15 jobs. “After selling fun gifts in the […]
Wood veneer facility to reopen in West Point
A former manufacturing facility in West Point will come roaring back to life with a $2.5 million investment by West Point Veneer, a wholly owned subsidiary of Coldwater Veneer, that will create 92 jobs, Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s office announced Tuesday. Once open, the mill will produce wood veneer and ship it globally via the Port […]
Virginia’s fundamentals remain strong after unsuccessful arena competition
As Virginia celebrates Economic Development Week, there is no better time to recognize that when it comes to success in economic development, fundamentals matter most. Incentives, public sector support, personal connections and various intangibles — like, say, letting a CEO pick his favorite Grateful Dead concert to play during a recruitment dinner — can undoubtedly […]
Prime for development
In the past year, Amazon.com continued its march across the commonwealth, announcing plans to build a 650,000-square-foot fulfillment center and a 219,000-square-foot delivery station in Virginia Beach, which are collectively expected to produce more than 1,000 jobs. About 60% the size of the Pentagon, Virginia’s second largest building belongs to Amazon — a 3.8 million-square-foot […]
The Lake takes shape in Chesterfield
The first wave of commercial tenants is coming to The Lake, a long-planned, 105-acre mixed-use development that’s slated to bring a surf park to western Chesterfield County. The Lake’s centerpiece will be a 13-acre artificial lake with a tow cable. It’s expected to be ready by summer 2025 for wakeboarding, kayaking, standup paddle boarding and […]
Cashing in
In 2019, a state study forecast that if the General Assembly allowed five casinos to operate in five economically disadvantaged Virginia cities — Bristol, Danville, Norfolk, Portsmouth and Richmond — that one-third of the revenue generated would stem from out-of-state visitors. In other words, if you build it, casino backers sang out to the commonwealth’s […]
