Norfolk mayor says apartments, hotel could replace MacArthur Center
MacArthur Center mall in downtown Norfolk is expected to be replaced by a major mixed-use development, which could be called “The Anchorage,” featuring a 400-room, military-themed hotel and 518,000 square feet of high-rise residential space, Norfolk Mayor Kenny Alexander announced April 12 during his State of the Cit[...]
Petersburg casino referendum could take place in 2024
Petersburg voters will likely get the opportunity to vote on a casino referendum this fall, as a Virginia General Assembly obstacle has been removed from its path. SB 628, sponsored by Sen. Lashrecse Aird, D-Petersburg, replaces Richmond with Petersburg among Virginia cities eligible to host a casino following approval by voters[...]
Petersburg casino competitors roll out details
More details have rolled in about the five Petersburg casino contenders, all of whom presented their plans during a town hall Sunday at the Petersburg Public Library. Hosted by state Sen. Lashresce Aird, D-Petersburg, the town hall saw officials representing Bally’s, Cordish Cos., Penn Entertainment, Rush Street Gaming and[...]
Bruce Smith teams with Cordish on Petersburg casino plan
Virginia Beach developer and NFL Hall of Famer Bruce Smith is vying for the chance to develop a casino in Petersburg and has joined forces with Cordish Cos., the Baltimore-based entertainment company that has already made inroads in Virginia. There’s just one obstacle facing Smith and other prospective developers, includi[...]
Pharrell biopic musical to film in Va. this year
Virginia Beach-born-and-bred entertainment superstar Pharrell Williams will film a movie this spring and summer in Virginia based on his childhood, Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Friday. There had been rumors about the musical film project, called “Atlantis” in movie trade publications recently, but Youngkin confirmed[...]
Fort Monroe Authority exec director to retire
G. Glenn Oder is retiring as executive director of the Fort Monroe Authority in October, the authority announced Friday. Oder has led the FMA for the past 12 years after leaving the General Assembly, where he served as a state delegate from 2002 to 2012, representing the 94th District in the House of Delegates. “On [&helli[...]
Washington Wizards, Capitals reach deal to stay in D.C.
The Washington Wizards and Capitals NBA and NHL teams are staying put in the District of Columbia and will not be moving to Alexandria, according to announcements from Washington, D.C., and Virginia officials Wednesday. These events put the final nail in the coffin of a controversial $2 billion Alexandria arena proposal touted b[...]
Pembroke Square starts phase 2 of mall redevelopment
Pembroke Square will begin the next phase of demolition Monday on the former Pembroke Mall in Virginia Beach, as part of a $200 million mixed-use redevelopment project. The roof and columns of the mall’s structure will be removed at the northeast entrance, north of Kohl’s on the Constitution Drive side of the former [...]
JBG Smith pledges 1,000 affordable housing units if arena passes
Developer JBG Smith pledged Friday to preserve 1,000 workforce-affordable housing units in Alexandria near the proposed sports arena and entertainment district, up from its previous promise of 500 units — upping the ante on the controversial project, which has one more chance to succeed this year. The $2 billion public-private[...]
Fed’s Fifth District economy stays the course
Economic activity in the Federal Reserve’s Fifth District was little changed in recent weeks, according to the latest edition of the Federal Reserve’s Beige Book, released March 6. Published eight times per year, the Beige Book is based on anecdotal information about economic conditions gathered from the nation’s 12 Feder[...]
Youngkin: Va. Senate making ‘colossal mistake’ in rejecting arena
After news broke Wednesday that Virginia lawmakers had dropped all mention of the proposed Alexandria sports arena authority in their amended 2024-26 state budget, Gov. Glenn Youngkin responded Thursday by blasting the Democratic-controlled Virginia State Senate’s leadership, which has killed every opportunity for a floor [...]
Virginians bet nearly $653M on sports in January
Virginians bet more than $652.87 million on sports in January, up 27.2% from January 2023, according to data released Friday by the Virginia Lottery. January’s handle is a 3.11% increase from December 2023, when Virginians bet about $633 million on sports. Virginia bettors won more than $578.5 million in January and more than [...]