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Action sports festival coming to Va. Beach
One of Canada’s largest action sporting events, the Jackalope Festival, will make its U.S. debut in Virginia Beach in June 2023, Mayor Bobby Dyer announced Wednesday at the annual State of the City address. “Get ready for Jackalope!” Dyer shouted enthusiastically before a crowd of about 1,000 people gathered at the Virginia Beach Convention Center. […]
$42M tennis campus planned for Loudoun County
Loudoun County will soon be a new hub for American tennis. The United States Tennis Association Mid-Atlantic Section (USTA MAS) announced plans Thursday to build a 36-court, $42 million tennis campus in Loudoun County. And when the campus is complete in 2025, the nonprofit tennis organization, which is currently based in Herndon, will house its […]
Pain beyond the pump
Ravi Patel watched as gas prices began their upward spiral and responded accordingly. To help offset fuel surcharges for deliveries, Patel, CEO of Sina Hospitality, placed larger orders for the linens, toiletries and other dry good items that his employees need to stock the Richmond-area hotels his company operates. “Kind of like everybody’s stockpile during COVID,” […]
Take a hike
Amid the ongoing pandemic, Virginians have escaped to the outdoors, enjoying the commonwealth’s varying recreational activities. “Since the pandemic started, people have wanted to get out of their homes and explore,” says Virginia Tourism Corp. Communications Manager Andrew Cothern, “and there’s so much to do in Virginia that outdoor recreation was a natural thing that […]
Washington Football Team has new name: Commanders
The Washington Football Team became the Washington Commanders Wednesday. President Jason Wright announced the new name for the Ashburn-based NFL team on NBC’s “Today” show. “It’s a name that has the weight and meaning befitting a 90-year-old franchise,” Wright said. “It’s something that broadly resonated with our fans, and it’s something that we believe embodies [[...]
Chrysler Hall plans $76M upgrade
The Broadway blockbuster “Hamilton” generated more than $1.2 million in admissions taxes for Norfolk during its monthlong engagement at Chrysler Hall in December 2019. However, city officials warn that similar productions could bypass Norfolk unless the theater undergoes major renovations. City Manager Chip Filer has proposed $76 million in upgrades, including adding loading docks, expanding [[...]
Hotel industry recovering, but unevenly
The hotel industry will continue its recovery from 2020 this year, but unevenly, according to the American Hotel & Lodging Association’s 2022 State of the Hotel Industry Report. “Hotels have faced enormous challenges over the past two years, and we are still a long way from full recovery. The uncertainty about the omicron variant suggests […]
Lawmakers debate human trafficking bill
RICHMOND, Va. — Legislators raised a few questions with a measure that would deploy hotel staff to help combat human trafficking. The bill introduced by Del. Shelly A. Simonds, D-Newport News, was heard Thursday in a House subcommittee. House Bill 258 would authorize the Department of Criminal Justice Services to create an online mandatory course […]
Ore. vacation rental company buys two Va. Beach businesses
Portland, Oregon-based vacation rental management company Vacasa announced Monday it had acquired two Virginia Beach companies: Sandbridge Realty and Beach Pros Realty. Vacasa did not disclose financial details of the transactions. The acquisitions mark Vacasa’s entry into Virginia. “Virginia Beach is a highly sought-after East Coast vacation spot. …The homes managed by Sandbridge Realty[...]
Va. Beach vacation company acquired by Calif. company
Mill Valley, California-based Vacatia Inc. has acquired Virginia Beach-based hospitality and vacation ownership company VSA Resorts, the timeshare owner and property management services provider announced Jan. 3. Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed. VSA owns three Virginia Beach properties: Ocean Key Resort, Atrium Resort and Ocean Sands Resort. The company also manages wholly-[...]
Better together
“Cooperation” is a word Jim Noel uses a lot these days when speaking about the Greater Williamsburg region, which encompasses the city of Williamsburg and York and James City counties. As York County’s economic development director, Noel has watched as one of the most historically significant areas of the nation has worked to revive and […]
Va. hotel revenues down 19% from Nov. 2019 levels
Virginia hotel revenues in November were 19% below November 2019 levels, according to data released Wednesday by STR Inc., a CoStar Group division that provides market data on the U.S. hospitality industry. During the same period, hotel rooms sold decreased by 12% compared with 2019 levels. The average daily rate (ADR) paid for hotel rooms […]
