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Hospitality | Tourism 2025: EVANGELISTA, ALLIE
A native of Brazil, Evangelista arrived in Bristol in 2022 with more than 20 years of experience in hospitality and gaming. She previously worked for Penn National Gaming and joined Hard Rock to lead the state’s first casino, which opened three years ago in a temporary home. Since then, the $515 million Hard Rock Hotel […]
Hospitality | Tourism 2025: DESAI, NEEL
Desai joined LTD Hospitality Group in 1998 as the second generation of the family-owned hotel development and management company co-founded by Desai’s father in 1983. As a managing principal, he oversees property management and the profitability of its portfolio. Following in those entrepreneurial footsteps, Desai invested in Dallas-based fast food franchise Super Chix Chicken & Custard[...]
Hospitality | Tourism 2025: WOOLARD, KERRY
Woolard manages operations for the 1,300-acre winery and estate purchased by the Trump family in 2011 after Patricia Kluge declared bankruptcy. Eric Trump Wine Manufacturing now owns the property, which includes a hotel and event facilities, and Eric Trump is its president. Billed as the state’s largest winery, the business opened a cidery business in […]
Hospitality | Tourism 2025: SPADONI, MARK
Spadoni joined the nearly 260-year-old Omni Homestead in 2021. He has worked in the hospitality industry for more than 40 years, working at The Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort & Spa in Georgia for about 20 of those years. The Bath County resort was founded in 1766. Omni Hotels & Resorts purchased the property from […]
Hospitality | Tourism 2025: FLEET, CLIFFORD B. ‘CLIFF’
Fleet became the ninth president of the world’s largest living history museum in 2020. Prior to that, he was CEO and president of 22nd Century Group and, before that, president and CEO of Richmond-based tobacco manufacturer Philip Morris USA. He’s also an adjunct professor at William & Mary’s Raymond A. Mason School of Business. The […]
Hospitality | Tourism 2025: NASSETTA, CHRISTOPHER J.
Nassetta is the longtime president and CEO of one of the world’s largest hospitality companies. Hilton has a portfolio of 8,600 properties and 24 brands in 139 countries and territories. Nassetta joined Hilton in 2007 after investment firm Blackstone acquired the company in a $26 billion deal. Hilton went public again in 2013, and by […]
Hospitality | Tourism 2025: KAMENSKY, JANE
Kamensky started work as the head of the foundation that owns and operates Monticello, in 2024. Home of Thomas Jefferson, the third U.S. president and author of the Declaration of Independence, Monticello draws more than 300,000 visitors annually. Before coming to Albemarle County, the Yale alumna was a history professor at Harvard University and director […]
Virginia 500 Spotlight: KERRY WOOLARD
FAVORITE FASHION ACCESSORY: A classic Chanel necklace. I wear mine to work or with a white T-shirt and a pair of jeans. It is such a classic way to look polished without being overdone or fussy. HOW I DEFINE SUCCESS: Doing something better today than we did it yesterday. Generally, just progress. I love to […]
Virginia casinos report $84.7M in July revenue
July gaming revenues from Virginia’s three casinos totaled $84.7 million, up $6.2 million from June according to the Virginia Lottery.
Virginia casinos report $78.5M in June revenue
June gaming revenues from Virginia’s three casinos totaled $78.5 million, down $6.9 million from May, according to a Virginia Lottery report.
Sail250 to bring 60 ships to Norfolk for America’s big birthday
Gov. Glenn Youngkin last week kicked off the one-year countdown to Sail250 — an enormous maritime festival that’s expected to bring more than 3 million visitors to Virginia and generate at least $150 million in revenue.
Henrico issues new RFI for arena project
Following the collapse of the $2.3 billion GreenCity project in March, Henrico County on Tuesday released a new request for interest for developers to submit plans for an arena-anchored development in the county's West End.
