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Reopening weekend largely positive for restaurants
Reopening weekend was largely positive for restaurants and other businesses in Virginia localities that entered Phase One of Gov. Northam’s Forward Virginia plan on Friday. “It was actually very busy,” said Brad Smith, general manager of Quaker Steak & Lube on Bristol’s State Street. “We were bu[...]
Chincoteague pony swim canceled for first time since WWII
For the first time since World War II, the annual Chincoteague Pony Penning celebration, scheduled to begin July 2, has been canceled, Alex Tucker, president of the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company Inc. announced Monday. “Please understand that this was not an easy decision to make, with the last pony penning being cancel[...]
Caesars wins bid in Danville casino project
After taking bids from several companies, Danville officials announced Monday that the city is in negotiations with Caesars Entertainment to be the preferred operator of a Danville-based casino. Voters will still need to approve the casino in a November local referendum. The $400 million resort is proposed for the former Dan Riv[...]
Va. Beach to reopen beaches Friday, with restrictions
The oceanfront at Virginia Beach will reopen this Friday for recreational activity, Gov. Ralph Northam announced during his coronavirus news conference Monday. Approved activities include sunbathing, swimming, fishing and surfing, he said, but will not include group sports, alcohol consumption, grouping umbrellas or the use of[...]
Hotel Roanoke reveals $3.9M renovation plans
The Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center, Curio Collection by Hilton, announced Monday its $3.9 million plans to renovate The Pine Room Pub and the Palm Court Lobby. “The renovation will build upon the hotel’s premier four diamond status as a destination, dining and meeting facility in Virginia’s Blue Ridge and will c[...]
Reopening: Too early, or not soon enough?
UPDATED MAY 8 Gov. Ralph Northam is likely to loosen restrictions next Friday on “nonessential” businesses, allowing gyms, spas, theaters, dine-in restaurants and other enterprises to reopen after more than seven weeks, but feelings are mixed about the wisdom of this decision, given that Virginia saw a 36% increase in confir[...]
A watershed moment
Only a few months ago, the economies of the historic port city of Norfolk and the greater Hampton Roads region, with which it is inextricably intertwined, were continuing to rebound after emerging from what Old Dominion University’s 2019 State of the Region report has called “the lost decade.” During the period from 2007 t[...]
Bath County hit hard by resort closures
Communities across the state are hurting from coronavirus-related layoffs and closures, but in Bath County, “it’s devastating,” says state Sen. Creigh Deeds, whose law practice is located on Hot Springs’ Main Street. “Two major employers are closed,” he says, referring to The Omni Homestead Resort and The Greenbrier [...]
Conference hotels
Read more from the cover story package: Unconventional times — Hotels closed, workers furloughed as convention biz dries up Virginia hotels, attractions shut down during pandemic Delay of game — Sports tourism takes a timeout amid coronavirus Subscribe to Virginia Business. Get our daily e-newsletter.
Delay of game
The COVID-19 pandemic has paralyzed one of Virginia’s growing economic drivers: sports tourism. But even amid mass cancellations and lost revenue, tourism officials hold out hope that, for the sports sector at least, there can be recovery. “Over the years, sports tournaments and competitions have generally been recession-res[...]
Sorry, we’re CLOSED
“April is the cruelest month,” T.S. Eliot wrote, but for the hospitality and tourism industries, the cruelty began in March. With conferences and conventions canceling reservations amid the pandemic, hotels and convention centers across the commonwealth have temporarily shut down operations, furloughing and laying off wo[...]
Unconventional times
After recent visits to Savannah, Georgia, and St. Louis, Missouri, Pete Kingwill is bringing the annual Police Fleet Expo to Richmond in August. The Chicago-area-based meeting planner has been scouting locations in Virginia and North Carolina for a while now, knowing that the Southern states checked many of the boxes for what’[...]
