Dominion orders 176 turbines from Siemens Gamesa
Dominion Energy Inc. has ordered 176 offshore wind turbines from Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy S.A. for its 2.6-gigawatt, $9.8 billion Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project, the utility announced Monday. The Richmond-based Fortune 500 utility declined to release financial details of the contract. The SG 14-222 DD turbines —[...]
EVMS, ODU and Sentara sign health center agreement
Eastern Virginia Medical School, Old Dominion University and Sentara Healthcare entered into a memorandum of understanding Friday to work toward a collaborative academic health center. Officials from each institution will cooperate to improve health care disparities in Hampton Roads and to seek more consistent funding of EVMS fr[...]
Va. unemployment rate dropped to 3.4% in November
In November, Virginia’s unemployment rate fell to 3.4%, 0.2 points below October’s rate, marking 18 straight months of declines, Gov. Ralph Northam announced Friday. In November 2020, the jobless rate was 2.4 points higher than last month. The labor force increased by 2,706 to almost 4.26 million, and the number of unemployed residents decreased by 8,627 […]
Q&A: Quebec official discusses Va. trade mission
Quebec’s delegate general in New York, Martine Hébert, visited Virginia this week on a trip to strengthen economic relations between her province and the commonwealth. Appointed in August by Quebec Premier François Legault and based out of New York, Hébert is responsible for promoting the province’s economic interests in [...]
Cvent goes public again
Tysons-based event software company Cvent Holding Corp. began trading on the Nasdaq Global Market Dec. 9 after closing its merger the day before with San Francisco-based SPAC Dragoneer Growth Opportunities Corp. II. The move is Cvent’s second time going public. In 2016, Vista Equity Partners acquired it for $1.65 billion and t[...]
Northam proposes $2.1B in tax cuts for ‘working people’
Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, who leaves office next month, proposed four tax cuts Tuesday, including eliminating Virginia’s 1.5% sales tax on groceries and providing an income tax cut for low- and middle-income Virginians. He also proposed one-time tax rebates — $250 for individuals and $500 for married couples — and e[...]
Southwest Va. project will help manufacturers enter wind energy supply chain
Public-private campaign InvestSWVA announced Tuesday the launch of an economic development initiative designed to help Southwest Virginia manufacturers find entry points in the supply chain for wind energy equipment components. The initiative, called Project Veer, will connect Southwest Virginia manufacturers with industry exper[...]
Two Va. projects are finalists for $100M U.S. EDA grants
Two Virginia projects — one to make Central Virginia an advanced pharmaceutical manufacturing hub and one to support the transportation and logistics cluster in Southern and Southwest Virginia — are two of 60 finalists for the U.S. Economic Development Administration’s Build Back Better Regional Challenge, which will provide awardees with up to $100 million each. […]
Amazon provides $21M to create real estate developers of color program
Amazon.com Inc. announced Wednesday a $21 million grant to create a professional training, mentorship and capital funding program for real estate developers of color focused on affordable housing. “With this accelerator program, we are laser focused on lifting up emerging real estate developers of color. We want to foster thei[...]
Construction begins on Rivers Casino Portsmouth
Chicago-based developer and gaming operator Rush Street Gaming broke ground Tuesday on Rivers Casino Portsmouth, kicking off construction of the $300 million casino and entertainment complex. Located off Victory Boulevard, the complex will have a casino, BetRivers sportsbook, restaurants, a live entertainment lounge, hotel and e[...]
Hotels hit by supply chain disruptions
Supply chain disruptions are negatively affecting business revenue for nearly three in four hotels (74%), according to survey results released Wednesday from the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA). Supply chain disruptions were moderately or significantly impacting operations of 86% of respondents. More than half (5[...]
JMU student and alumni entrepreneurs get boost from program
The James Madison University Bluestone Seed Fund announced Monday that it would provide three startup companies with $5,000 each in its inaugural investment cycle. The Gilliam Center for Entrepreneurship manages the donor-backed fund. The three chosen startups are Gewd Botanicals, Handicans and Tow Ninja. Malique Middleton, a 20[...]