January Va. hotel revenues surpass 2019
Virginia hotel revenues in January were 14.9% higher than pre-pandemic levels, largely due to higher hotel room rates, according to data released Tuesday by STR Inc., a division of CoStar Group Inc. that provides market data on the U.S. hospitality industry. Hotel rooms sold increased by 5% last month compared with January 2019.[...]
Second Petersburg casino bill dies in Senate committee
Updated Friday, Feb. 17 Petersburg voters won’t get an opportunity to approve a casino this fall, and Richmond may get a second chance to vote on a casino referendum in 2023, state legislators decided Thursday in a 10-6 vote. However, the matter could come down to last-minute state budget negotiations. The Virginia State S[...]
ASM Global to develop, run GreenCity arena in Henrico
ASM Global will develop and operate the 17,000-seat arena at Henrico County’s $2.3 billion GreenCity development, county officials announced Monday. Billed as what will be the nation’s greenest arena with net-zero energy impact, the venue is set to be part of a multiuse community with a focus on environmental sustain[...]
Petersburg casino bill passes Va. House
The Virginia House of Delegates narrowly passed a bill Tuesday that would allow Petersburg residents to vote on a casino referendum this fall. The legislation moves next to the Virginia State Senate, where a similar bill died in committee. Del. Kim Taylor, R-Dinwiddie, sponsored HB 1373, which passed 49-44 in the full House vote[...]
Morrissey’s Petersburg casino bill fails in Senate Finance
Updated Friday, Feb. 3 With an 7-8 no vote Thursday evening, the Virginia Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee killed state Sen. Joe Morrissey’s measure to bring a casino referendum to Petersburg’s ballots this fall. A similar bill in the House of Delegates, however, is still alive. A few days after receiving [...]
Spearhead Trails aims for recreational shooting boost
The Southwest Regional Recreation Authority (SRRA) will use a $750,000 federal grant to further develop its Spearhead Trails Sportsman Adventures Complex in Dickenson County. A ribbon-cutting for the 150-acre complex in Clintwood was held in August 2022, when the complex had two archery ranges, plus shooting ranges for pistols, [...]
Petersburg casino bill moves to Senate committee
A Virginia State Senate bill that would allow Petersburg residents to vote on allowing a casino in their city is still in play, following a 7-2 vote by the Senate gaming subcommittee Thursday. The bill will progress to a General Laws and Technology committee vote Wednesday. The bill from Sen. Joe Morrissey, D-Richmond, adds Pete[...]
Rivers Casino Portsmouth opens to big crowds
When Rivers Casino Portsmouth opened its doors Monday, Christopher Hoffman was among the thousands of patrons attending opening day at the first permanent casino to open in Virginia. A Hampton resident and manager at Rosie’s Gaming Emporium, Hoffman said he wanted to be “part of history” happening in the state.[...]
Rivers Casino Portsmouth opening delayed
Rivers Casino Portsmouth‘s grand opening has been delayed until Jan. 23, eight days after its initially scheduled opening planned for Jan. 15, the casino announced Tuesday. The casino wanted to allow for additional time to test and verify new gaming equipment, a spokesperson for the casino said in an email. “Providing [...]
Richmond receives 5 proposals for City Center project
Five groups of developers sent in proposals to redevelop Richmond’s newly rebranded City Center Innovation District, a 9.4-acre downtown area that includes the closed Richmond Coliseum, the Richmond Economic Development Authority and the Greater Richmond Convention Center Authority announced Wednesday. An evaluation panel [...]
First look inside Rivers Casino Portsmouth
Rivers Casino Portsmouth will be the first permanent casino to open in Virginia when it opens its doors to the public on Jan. 15, 2023, but local media outlets got a sneak peek on Tuesday. With 28 days until opening — the casino will open for two “charity days” on Jan. 10 and 12 — […]
Va. Beach City Council approves $2M sponsorship of Something in the Water
Virginia Beach native Pharrell Williams’ Something in the Water three-day music festival will get a $2 million sponsorship from Virginia Beach as part of an incentive package approved by the City Council Tuesday night. Something in the Water debuted in April 2019 at the Oceanfront and was called off in 2020 and 2021 due to[...]