Petersburg casino competitors roll out details
More details have rolled in about the five Petersburg casino contenders, all of whom presented their plans during a town hall Sunday at the Petersburg Public Library. Hosted by state Sen. Lashresce Aird, D-Petersburg, the town hall saw officials representing Bally’s, Cordish Cos., Penn Entertainment, Rush Street Gaming and The Warrenton Group reveal more details […]
Bruce Smith teams with Cordish on Petersburg casino plan
Virginia Beach developer and NFL Hall of Famer Bruce Smith is vying for the chance to develop a casino in Petersburg and has joined forces with Cordish Cos., the Baltimore-based entertainment company that has already made inroads in Virginia. There’s just one obstacle facing Smith and other prospective developers, including Bally’s, Penn Entertainment, Rush Street Gaming […]
Pembroke Square starts phase 2 of mall redevelopment
Pembroke Square will begin the next phase of demolition Monday on the former Pembroke Mall in Virginia Beach, as part of a $200 million mixed-use redevelopment project. The roof and columns of the mall’s structure will be removed at the northeast entrance, north of Kohl’s on the Constitution Drive side of the former mall. A […]
Northern Va. Big Deal: Safari in Spotsy
A high school marching band, a giant seafood boil and an enthusiastic crowd of about 200 people helped celebrate the Oct. 20, 2023, groundbreaking for the $900 million, 1.38 million-square-foot Kalahari Resort in Spotsylvania County. The fifth African-themed resort from the privately owned, Wisconsin-based Kalahari Resorts & Conventions, the sprawling tourism and events destination is planned[...]
Tourism: Game on
According to the state government, visitor spending across Virginia surpassed $30 billion in 2022, exceeding 2019 expenditures by 4.4%. Nevertheless, business travel still hasn’t returned to pre-pandemic levels, particularly in Northern Virginia. But leisure travel is back and booming. Hotel revenues were up 13% statewide in 2023, compared with 2019, with more rooms sold at […]
Norfolk looks to renovate Scope, Chrysler Hall instead of building new arena
Norfolk no longer plans to build a new arena after Military Circle Mall is torn down, and instead is seriously considering renovating two city-owned venues downtown: the 53-year-old, 10,000-seat Scope Arena and the nearby 52-year-old Chrysler Hall, a 2,500-seat theater. “The participation of the public dollar that we would need on the arena is more […]
Alexandria arena proposal economic impact report released
An economic and fiscal impact analysis released Friday by the Alexandria Economic Development Partnership forecasts that the proposed Washington Capitals and Wizards arena in Alexandria could generate up to $7.96 billion in annual economic output for the state. Additionally, the report says the arena could be completed as soon as 2028 if its construction schedule […]
Why Alexandria’s new entertainment district is everyone’s business
As lawmakers negotiate the future of a $2 billion deal to build a new entertainment district in Alexandria, leaders across public and private sectors in the D.C.-Maryland-Virginia region are weighing the potential benefits. Without discounting concerns of local residents, I would like to present how this entertainment district will help Northern Virginia’s future growth and […]
Caesars Virginia ‘tops off’ Danville casino
Caesars Virginia is a step closer to opening its permanent casino in Danville after a topping-off ceremony Thursday. Though the temporary casino opened in May 2023, work on the permanent Caesars Virginia casino and 12-story hotel has been ongoing. The floor of the casino has been poured, metal framing is in place and the hotel […]
Wizards, Capitals plan Alexandria move in $2B deal
The Washington Capitals and Washington Wizards are planning a move to a new home in Alexandria in a $2 billion deal that would see the professional sports franchises exit Washington, D.C., by 2028, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Dec. 13, 2023. The nonbinding agreement to build a new arena for the Capitals and Wizards is […]
Norfolk HeadWaters casino could break ground in spring 2024
With the clock ticking on HeadWaters Resort & Casino’s statutory requirement to open a permanent resort casino by November 2025 — five years after Norfolk voters approved it — the developer has submitted new plans to the City of Norfolk, aiming to start construction in spring 2024. The Norfolk Architecture Review Board is set to […]
Visit Alexandria CEO announces retirement
Visit Alexandria President and CEO Patricia Washington will retire at the end of June 2024, the tourism organization announced Friday. Washington has led Visit Alexandria since 2012. She led two rebranding efforts and four brand campaigns and helped Alexandria become a national tourism destination, according to a news release announcing her retirement. The City of […]