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William & Mary to be U.S. hub for AUKUS submarine pact
William & Mary will be the U.S. academic hub for a multinational effort aimed at advancing the development of nuclear-powered submarines.
Irish data center power manufacturer opens first US plant in James City County
An Irish energy infrastructure manufacturer focused on data centers will establish its first U.S. plant in James City County, a $5.225 million investment expected to create 250 jobs, Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Wednesday.
Economic Development 2025: SMITH, DOUG
Since 2019, Smith has led the Hampton Roads Alliance, a regional economic development organization representing 15 municipalities and numerous private sector investors. Before that, he served as city manager for Norfolk and as deputy city manager in both Virginia Beach and Portsmouth and is also a past president and CEO of Kaufman & Canoles Consulting. […]
Marine/RV parts wholesaler announces $1.1M expansion in Norfolk
Land ‘N’ Sea Distributing, a distributor of marine and recreational vehicle parts, will invest $1.1 million to expand in Norfolk.
Clear waters
After receiving its final federal approvals in January, Dominion Energy’s $9.8 billion Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project remains on track for completion in late 2026, at which point the 2.6-gigawatt project could power up to 660,000 homes. “CVOW is on budget, on time, and we’re gearing up for construction and excited about getting it to […]
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 [&helli[...]
Executive insights
Virginia Business asked six Hampton Roads leaders to discuss how their organizations are contributing to the region’s success and meeting challenges such as workforce recruitment and inflation. DAWN GLYNN President and chief experience officer, Corporate Services Group, TowneBank, Suffolk How are your customers responding to inflation and higher interest rates? After many years of historic[...]
Gazing into the future
The waterways and shorelines that make up Hampton Roads harbor a historic reputation as ideal hosts for commerce, trade, shipbuilding, military installations and government research. Its beaches and historical sites attract millions of visitors, and the region is home to farms, businesses and universities. We know the past and present, but what about the future […]
Economic Development 2023: DOUG SMITH
After serving as Norfolk’s city manager and Virginia Beach’s deputy city manager, Smith now leads the Hampton Roads Alliance, the regional economic development organization representing 14 municipalities and numerous private-sector investors. For the past four years, Smith and his team have helped establish Hampton Roads as an important center in the offshore wind industry, as [&hellip[...]
Air compressor maker plans $7.4M Norfolk expansion
Norfolk-based Bauer Compressors Inc., a subsidiary of Munich-based Bauer Kompressoren Group, will invest $7.4 million to expand its production capacity in Norfolk, creating an estimated 47 jobs, Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Wednesday. The company will increase its capacity to produce hydrogen and natural gas compressors. “Bauer’s long-term success in the city of Norfolk reinforces the [&h[...]
Chesapeake preps 1,400-acre industrial park
Whenever a big economic development announcement from another state pops up in the news, Hampton Roads Alliance President and CEO Doug Smith can count on his phone ringing. “I get a call from somebody saying, ‘Why didn’t we get that?’” says Smith. “And the answer is real simple: We didn’t have 500 acres or 1,500 […]
