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Economic Development

Diane Akers. Photo courtesy the Blacksburg Partnership
Mar 26, 2021

Blacksburg Partnership president retiring

After 19 years as the founding leader of the Blacksburg Partnership, Diane Akers announced Friday that she will retire on June 30 from her position as president of the private economic development group. Akers was hired as the Blacksburg Partnership’s founding director in 2002, helping launch the organization that was esta[...]

Munters Group AB plant in Buena Vista. Photo courtesy Munters
Mar 25, 2021

Data center air systems manufacturer announces $36M plant in Botetourt

Munters Group AB, a Sweden-based manufacturer of air treatment and cooling systems for data centers and other industrial applications, will invest $36 million to relocate its Buena Vista operations to Botetourt County, company and county officials announced Thursday. Munters will begin construction in April on a 365,000-square-f[...]

Mar 19, 2021

RBTC president leaves for new job

John Philips, president of the Roanoke-Blacksburg Technology Council, has resigned from the post to join Pulaski County-based GALA North America as vice president, RBTC’s board announced Friday. His last day is March 31. Phillips, who holds degrees from Virginia Tech and Virginia Military Institute, joined RBTC in Septembe[...]

Mar 11, 2021

Health care AI company bringing U.S. HQ to Loudoun

Zasti Inc., a health care-related artificial intelligence technology company, is investing $5.9 million to establish its U.S. headquarters in Loudoun County, creating 60 jobs, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam announced Thursday. Founded in 2017 in India, Zasti, which is Sanskrit for “prediction,” develops AI-based risk screening, predictive analytics and climate change solutions for the health care […][...]

Mar 11, 2021

757 economic recovery plan focuses on cooperation

At a Thursday news conference, Hampton Roads regional leaders unveiled a new economic recovery plan for the next two years that focuses on cooperation and resiliency. Hampton Roads Alliance President and CEO Doug Smith presented a report detailing multiple goals for the region to help it recover financially after the COVID-19 pa[...]

Mar 4, 2021

Tempur Sealy to invest $16.7M in Scott County manufacturing facility

Bedding product designer, manufacturer and distributor Tempur Sealy International Inc. will invest $16.7 million to expand its Scott County operation, creating 25 jobs, Gov. Ralph Northam announced Thursday. “Southwest Virginia has been an ideal base of operations for Tempur Sealy for nearly 20 years because of the region’s proximity to major interstates and access to […]

Mar 3, 2021

Prince William company to expand manufacturing of COVID-19 test products

Prince William County-based Ceres Nanosciences Inc. will increase manufacturing of its reagent product used in COVID-19 tests, Gov. Ralph Northam announced Wednesday. The project will create 50 jobs in engineering, advanced manufacturing and materials science during the next three years. “This expansion will enable Ceres Nanosciences to vastly increase production of its patented technology to […][...]

Will Payne, director of InvestSWVA and managing partner of Coalfield Strategie, says Southwest Virginia’s solar and geothermal assets make it a good fit for data centers.
Mar 2, 2021

SW Va. aims to attract data centers via regional tax pact

As part of an effort to entice data centers to locate in the region, Southwest Virginia leaders announced Tuesday a joint agreement to set what will be Virginia’s lowest regional property tax rate on data center equipment. The localities comprising the Lonesome Pine Regional Industrial Facilities Authority — Dickenson, L[...]

Rendering of the proposed VCU Health Systems complex in Richmond's Navy Hill area
Mar 1, 2021

Richmond council clears way for $325M VCU Health project

Richmond City Council approved the sale of the city’s Public Safety Building on Monday, clearing the way for a $325 million VCU Health System medical office tower and multi-use project downtown. Council members unanimously approved the 3-acre property’s $3.5 million sale to Capital City Partners LLC, a collaboration [...]

The $300 million Rivers Casino in Portsmouth will include a four-star hotel, theaters, restaurants and retail. Rendering courtesy Rush Street Gaming
Feb 28, 2021

Double play

Hampton Roads will be home to two Las Vegas-style casino complexes after Norfolk and Portsmouth voters overwhelmingly approved November 2020 referendums greenlighting the projects in their cities. The referendums passed with 64.4% of the vote in Norfolk and 66.7% in Portsmouth. The Pamunkey Indian Tribe is working with Tennessee[...]

“It’s been a year like no other,” says Henrico Economic Development Authority Executive Director Anthony J. Romanello. Photo by Matthew R.O. Brown
Feb 28, 2021

Moving forward

In a difficult year haunted by the coronavirus pandemic, the Central Virginia region persevered — and in some cases made economic progress. Henrico County led all other localities with a blockbuster endorsement of a $2.3 billion project, GreenCity, that would promote environmental sustainability and bring a 17,000-seat arena t[...]

Feb 28, 2021

Chambers of commerce

STATEWIDE Asian American Chamber of Commerce Tysons (571) 633-9754 asian-americanchamber.org   Virginia Asian Chamber of Commerce Richmond (804) 344-1540 aabac.org   Virginia Chamber of Commerce Richmond (804) 644-1607 vachamber.com   Virginia Hispanic Chamber North Chesterfield (804) 378-4099 vahcc.com   CENTRAL VIRGINIA Altavista Area Chamber of Commerce Altavista (434) 369-6665 altavistachamber.com   Amelia C[...]

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