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$125M Marriott Virginia Beach Oceanfront hotel opens
The $125 million, 305-room Marriott Virginia Beach Oceanfront is now open, Virginia Beach hospitality and real estate company Gold Key | PHR announced Thursday. The hotel, managed by Gold Key | PHR, is an addition to The Cavalier Resort, which includes the Historic Cavalier Hotel and Beach Club, two restaurants, 25,000 square fe[...]
State offering relief grants to destination marketing organizations
A new state relief program, the WanderLOVE Recovery Grant Program, will provide up to 50 grants of up to $10,000 apiece to destination marketing organizations (DMOs) across the commonwealth that have been heavily impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, Gov. Ralph Northam announced Thursday. The program, which is being administered by the Virginia Tourism Corp., began […]
Va. hotel revenues still down by more than 60%
Even as Phase Three of Virginia’s reopening plan looms on the horizon, Virginia hotels are continuing to see revenues dropping. in the second week in June by 64% compared to the same time a year ago, according to findings released Thursday by Old Dominion University’s Dragas Center for Economic Analysis and Policy. Rooms sold were […]
Hilton lays off 2.1K employees, extends furloughs
As hotels continue to struggle during the COVID-19 pandemic, McLean-based Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. announced Tuesday it is laying off 2,100 corporate employees — more than 20% of its corporate workforce. The company is also extending furloughs, reduced hours and corporate pay reductions, which were first announced in March, for up to an extra 90 […]
Richmond Folk Festival canceled this October
The Richmond Folk Festival, which often draws hundreds of thousands of music fans to the capital in the second weekend of October, will be canceled due to COVID-19 this fall, Venture Richmond announced Tuesday. Also canceled is Richmond’s 2nd Street Festival, another cultural food and music event held downtown the first we[...]
VMFA plans public reopening July 4
In an email to members Thursday, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts announced it would reopen to the public July 4, and to members on July 1. The Richmond museum closed in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic and has remained shut since, except for its grounds, where many people gather in nice weather. “As the […]
Hotels saw 68% revenue drop in early June compared to 2019
Although the state has loosened some restrictions since entering Phase Two last Friday, Virginia hotels continued to see revenues drop in the first week in June by 68% compared to the same time a year ago, according to findings released Wednesday by Old Dominion University’s Dragas Center for Economic Analysis and Policy. Rooms sold were […]
Colonial Williamsburg to reopen on limited basis June 14
The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation announced Friday that it will open for limited public programming at some of its historic sites on June 14 while the state moves into Phase 2 of Gov. Ralph Northam’s “Forward Virginia” plan. “We are eager to welcome employees and guests back to Colonial Williamsburg, but reopening[...]
Hotels saw 66% revenue drop in late May compared to 2019
Suffering the economic impacts of the coronavirus pandemic, Virginia hotels saw revenues drop 66% for the last week in May compared to the same time a year ago, according to findings released Wednesday by Old Dominion University’s Dragas Center for Economic Analysis and Policy. Rooms sold were also down by 50% and the average daily […]
Portsmouth, Norfolk move forward on casino projects
On Tuesday, the Portsmouth City Council approved Rush Street Gaming’s casino proposal and the Norfolk City Council selected the Pamunkey Indian Tribe as its preferred casino operator, as the two Hampton Roads projects move toward a November referendum vote on the cities’ ballots. Chicago-based Rush Street Gaming expects to invest at least $300 million, the […]
Colonial Williamsburg eyes limited reopening in Phase 2
Colonial Williamsburg is remaining mostly closed the rest of May, but portions of the historic area and art museums will reopen in early June as Virginia moves into Phase Two of Gov. Ralph Northam’s “Forward Virginia” plan. The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, in a news release Thursday, announced that Chownin[...]
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[...]
