Tech talent factory
Lance R. Collins was hired to lead Virginia Tech’s $1 billion Innovation Campus in one world, but he begins work Aug. 1 in another. But the Innovation Campus’ new vice president and executive director sees the disruption fueled by the pandemic and recession as only sharpening the mission of Tech’s initiative to create a te[...]
Creating space for startups to bring products to fruition
South Boston’s town manager, Tom Raab, was elated when Mid-Atlantic Broadband Communities Corp. announced in early summer its plan for a Southern Virginia Tech Hub adjacent to its Southern Virginia Innovation Hub. “That’s big for South Boston and Halifax County,” Raab says. “The locations will have the fastest free Wi-[...]
The mouse that roars
Arlington County encompasses an area of just 26 square miles, making it geographically the smallest self-governing county in America. But in many ways, it is the mouse that roars. In November 2018, Arlington snagged the biggest economic prize in Virginia — and possibly U.S. — history when Amazon.com Inc. announced it would b[...]
Virginia’s Gateway Region, Community College Workforce Alliance hire workforce development director
Virginia’s Gateway Region (VGR) and the Community College Workforce Alliance (CCWA) announced Monday that Michelle Rogers has been hired for the new joint position of director of workforce development, effective July 6. This is the first time that a regional economic development organization and a community college have pa[...]
Mariners Landing has new owners
Smith Mountain Lake housing community Mariners Landing in Bedford County has new owners, Mariners Landing Development Co. LLC announced Thursday. Waller S. Perrow III of Mariners Landing Development Co. LLC did not disclose financial terms for the May sale, saying it was contractually protected. Commercial real estate develope[...]
Playing it safe
The Virginia Tourism Corp.’s DMO WanderLove Recovery Grant Program will award $866,000 in grants to 90 destination marketing organizations that were heavily impacted by the pandemic, Gov. Ralph Northam announced Wednesday. Each recipient will receive a maximum grant of $10,000, which can be used for efforts including partici[...]
Portsmouth, Rush Street Gaming unveil casino renderings
After receiving pre-certification from the Virginia Lottery Board last week to operate a Virginia casino, Rush Street Gaming on Tuesday revealed more details about the proposed $300 million Rivers Casino Portsmouth, including the first renderings of the gaming, conference and hotel complex. The 400,000-square-foot Rivers Casino [...]
Fairfax adds $20M to small business relief fund
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors announced Wednesday it has directed an additional $20 million in funding to its Fairfax Relief Initiative to Support Employers (RISE) relief program — bringing its total funding to $46 million aimed at helping small businesses and nonprofits during the pandemic. The funding comes from the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief […]
Va. Beach manufacturing company investing $15.8M in expansion
Virginia Beach-based Acoustical Sheetmetal Co. (ASC) will invest $15.8 million to expand its operations, adding a 100,000- square-foot facility and creating 200 jobs, Gov. Ralph Northam announced Wednesday. ASC manufactures sound-reducing and weather-protective enclosures for onsite power generation equipment, such as control rooms, house generators, pumps, compressors, switchgear and HVAC equipment. “Advanced manufacturing contin[...]
Va. Lottery Board advances Portsmouth casino
The city of Portsmouth announced Wednesday that its preferred casino gaming partner, Chicago-based Rush Street Gaming, has been pre-certified by the Virginia Lottery Board to operate a Virginia casino. The pre-certification is necessary to move forward with a local gaming referendum in November. “We are grateful for the Lottery Board’s diligence on this matter and […]
Bausch + Lomb to expand, create 79 jobs in Lynchburg
Bausch + Lomb plans to invest more than $35 million to expand its contact lens products manufacturing facility in Lynchburg, creating 79 jobs over the next five years, Gov. Ralph Northam announced Wednesday. The new plant, which will be on 13.1 acres across from its existing facility on Graves Mill Road, will be the main […]
UPDATED: Nearly 110K Virginia businesses received PPP funds
The U.S. Small Business Administration has released a list of major recipients of its $659 billion Paycheck Protection Program small business relief program, with exact loan amounts redacted. Of the nearly 110,000 small businesses that received funding in Virginia (including Virginia Business Media LLC), approximately 16,100 businesses in Virginia were named on the list of […]