Caesars runs the table in Danville
After competing with several other major players, Caesars Entertainment Corp. is planning a $400 million casino in Danville’s Schoolfield neighborhood. In early June, City Council approved the Las Vegas-based company as its preferred casino operator, and the Virginia Lottery is expected to rule on the case by mid-July. The nex[...]
Averett University names chief entrepreneurship, innovation officer
Averett University announced Thursday that John Vigouroux will join the university as its first chief entrepreneurship and innovation officer. He also will lead the new Averett Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. The center will serve as a learning lab and entrepreneurial space for students. The goal of the center is to [...]
Danville Pittsylvania County Chamber to move Sept. 1
The Danville Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce announced Tuesday that it will move to leased space within the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR) in Danville as of Sept. 1. The Chamber has been located in Blairs since 2005, when the Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce and the Danville Area Chamber of Commerce merged. […]
Henry County manufacturer announces $6.9M expansion
Henry County-based manufacturing company Drake Extrusion Inc. will invest $6.9 million to expand its operations, Gov. Ralph Northam announced Monday. Drake Extrusion, a subsidiary of Sweden-based filament yarn and staple fiber manufacturer Duroc AB, plans to build an additional manufacturing facility in a vacant 120,000-square-foot building on Industrial Park Drive. The expansion will create 30 […][...]
The Harvest Foundation names new president
The Harvest Foundation in Martinsville announced Friday that it has named Kathryn “Kate” E. Keller as its new president. She is expected to start on July 15. Keller replaces Allyson Rothrock, who is retiring after more than 17 years with The Harvest Foundation. Keller worked for 20 years at Cincinnati-based health foundation[...]
Richmonders launching large hemp processing facility in South Boston
Blue Ribbon Extraction, a company started by two Richmonders, is investing $3.26 million to establish Virginia’s first large-scale industrial hemp processing and cannabidiol (CBD) oil extraction facility in South Boston, Gov. Ralph Northam announced Thursday. The project will create 22 jobs and the company plans to source about $70 million in hemp — more than […]
Va. Economic Developers Assoc. announces award recipients
The Virginia Economic Developers Association (VEDA) announced Tuesday the recipients of its 2020 Community Economic Development Awards (CEDA): the city of Harrisonburg for its Bricks & Clicks Initiative and a regional economic development collaboration among Pittsylvania County, Danville and the Southern Virginia Regional Al[...]
GO Virginia Region 3 names program director
Growth and Opportunity for Virginia’s Region 3 Council announced Tuesday it has named former Orange County Administrator Bryan David as program director for the region, which includes the cities of Danville and Martinsville. In his new role, David will lead the operations of the Region 3 GO Virginia Council in collaboratio[...]
FerraTex to buy Henry County facility for $1.95M
FerraTex Solutions LLC will purchase the former Compton Woods Products facility in Bowles Industrial Park in Henry County for $1.95 millon, Gov. Ralph Northam announced Thursday. FerraTex, which specializes in services and liners for cured-in-place pipes (a method of repairing existing pipelines), will renovate and expand the facility, adding 15 jobs. “As we work to […]
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[...]
Plastics company plans 200 jobs, $34M investment in Pittsylvania
An Ohio-based plastics company is planning to invest $34 million in a new plant in Pittsylvania County, a project expected to bring 200 manufacturing jobs to the region over the next four years, local officials announced Friday. The 250,000-square-foot plant will be built on the former site of Burlington Industries in the Southern Virginia Multimodal […]
Executive profiles
We asked leaders in Virginia’s maritime and logistics industry for their thoughts on the Port of Virginia expansion and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on shipping. Click to expand photos. Interviews follow. VB: How will the Port of Virginia expansion impact Virginia’s economy? Adams: The Central Chapter encompasses the area around Richmond and is […]