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Opening doors
The Hard Rock entertainment, gaming, and hospitality brand is solidifying its place in Bristol on Nov. 14 with the formal opening of its Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Bristol, a $515 million resort and casino. The company has had a presence in the city for the last two years via a temporary casino facility, but […]
Meeting of the minds
Inclusive narratives, a post-pandemic restaurant industry and artificial intelligence are just a few of the topics that will feature in this year’s VA1 Governor’s Tourism Summit, an annual gathering of tourism professionals from across the state and beyond. Scheduled Nov. 13-15, the 2024 VA1 Governor’s Tourism Summit will take place at Hot Springs’ The Omni […]
Gordon Ramsay to open restaurant at Caesars Virginia
Cantankerous celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay plans to open a restaurant called Ramsay’s Kitchen at the $750 million Caesars Virginia casino in Danville by the end of 2024, the casino resort announced Tuesday. “Caesars Virginia sets the standard for approachable luxury, and I’m so proud to open my first [Virginia] restaurant here inside this beautiful resort,” […]
Allianz named title sponsor of Richmond amphitheater
Allianz Partners will be the naming sponsor for Richmond‘s forthcoming 7,500-capacity, $30 million outdoor amphitheater, the global insurer announced Tuesday. The Allianz Amphitheater at Riverfront, a project led by Charlottesville’s Red Light Ventures and Live Nation, is expected to open next year in time for the summer concert season, according to the announcement. The amphitheater [[...]
Yagen makes $100M donation to Military Aviation Museum
Gerald “Jerry” Yagen, founder of the Aviation Institute of Maintenance and Centura College, has made a $100 million gift to Virginia Beach’s Military Aviation Museum, including his private collection of 70 vintage military aircraft, the museum announced last week. In the 1990s, Yagen began collecting aircraft from the first 50 years of aviation history, from […]
Virginia 500: The 2024-25 Power List
Who are Virginia‘s most powerful and influential leaders in business, government, politics and education this year? Find out in the fifth annual edition of the Virginia 500: The 2024-25 Power List. Read more about how we assembled the Virginia 500 from our editor. Executives are listed in alphabetical order by industry. Below you will find links […]
Va. tourism generated $33.3B for 2023
Virginia‘s tourism industry generated $33.3 billion in visitor spending in 2023, an increase of nearly 10% over 2022, Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Monday. “The commonwealth’s record-breaking visitor spending numbers are a testament to our abundance of attractions and unique destinations,” Gov. Youngkin stated in a news release. Virginia’s tourism industry supported over [...]
KATHERINE O’DONNELL
Katherine O’Donnell recalls the excitement around the Richmond area in the early 2000s when the convention center was underway, and she was interviewing for a role with Richmond Region Tourism. Some 22 years later, she remains just as excited about everything happening around the commonwealth’s capital. “It’s very rewarding knowing that our efforts inspire people […]
Hard Rock Bristol delays permanent casino opening
The Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Bristol’s development team has pushed back the opening of the permanent casino, previously expected in July, and will instead open its approximately $515 million permanent casino resort in late fall. The team — a joint venture between Hard Rock, Par Ventures President Clyde Stacy and The United Co. Chairman […]
Richmond region scores in sports tourism
With several new and expanded facilities across the region, the greater Richmond area has become an attractive hub for amateur sporting events, bringing in hundreds of thousands of visitors and millions of dollars in added revenue. The region’s amateur sports tourism generated $88.7 million in hospitality-related revenue in fiscal 2023, according to Jerrine Lee, vice […]
Atlantic Park expected to open in spring 2025
The $350 million Atlantic Park project backed by music icon Pharrell Williams in his hometown of Virginia Beach is progressing, with the 2.6-acre surf lagoon, entertainment venue and other pieces of the project expected to be delivered in spring 2025, Kathy Warren, Virginia Beach’s planning director, told the city council Tuesday. Atlantic Park, a joint […]
Visit Williamsburg names new CEO
The Williamsburg Tourism Council, also known as Visit Williamsburg, has named Edward Harris its new CEO, the organization announced Wednesday. Former CEO Victoria Cimino stepped down from the role in January after more than four years leading the destination marketing organization for Williamsburg, Yorktown and Jamestown. With more than two decades of marketing and tourism […]
