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Revisionist history
Virginia’s tourism industry has long banked on its history — but this time there’s more context and acknowledgement of different facets of the commonwealth’s heritage. Last year, the commonwealth held observances marking the 400th anniversaries of the first elected legislative body in the New World and the arrival of the[...]
Shifting skylines
As several economic development officials have noted wryly over the past year, the construction crane appears to be Virginia’s new state bird. Labor shortages and expensive materials still impact the industry, but by and large, construction companies are busy across the commonwealth. In January, demolition started at the site [...]
The byte goes on
The tech sector is growing in Northern Virginia, prompted by Amazon.com Inc.’s $2.5 billion HQ2 East Coast headquarters in Arlington County and Google’s expansion in Fairfax and Loudoun counties as part of its $13 billion national growth plan. Also, a new regional coalition, the Northern Virginia Economic Development Allianc[...]
A multifaceted strategy
Catching the big one matters, but a lot of little successes can mean a lot, too. In Southwest Virginia, small triumphs have accumulated over the past year, in addition to larger announcements. Last April, Polycap LLC, a Toronto-based manufacturer of specialty caps and closures, announced it would invest $7.7 million in Lebanon[...]
Heavy hitters
With 21 companies listed on the Fortune 500, Virginia is home to many powerful and influential business leaders but naturally some are more involved in their communities and exert more pull in the state than others. This year’s list of Virginia’s most influential businesspeople ranges from defense contractors, bankers and he[...]
Money moves
In September 2019, Tysons-based Park Hotels & Resorts Inc. completed its $2.5 billion purchase of Chesapeake Lodging Trust, the largest acquisition in the state last year. Park’s hotel portfolio now includes 66 properties with more than 35,000 rooms, and the company has expanded into San Francisco, Boston, Miami, Los Angel[...]
Maximum impact
When President Donald Trump stepped onstage at a General Dynamics Corp.-run factory last spring, an American flag and four M1 Abrams battle tanks served as his backdrop. “God Bless the U.S.A.” by Lee Greenwood played. Employees of the Lima, Ohio, plant chanted, “USA, USA!” and Trump smiled. “Well, you better love me,�[...]
Northern expansion
Virginia’s colleges and universities are expanding their programs and facilities to other regions, and some went global with major fundraising goals. Virginia Tech is set to start classes this fall in Alexandria, where it soon will break ground on its Innovation Campus, a $1 billion project that promises to produce in-demand c[...]
The work begins
Following Amazon.com Inc.’s November 2018 announcement that the online retail giant would locate its $2.5 billion HQ2 East Coast headquarters in Arlington County, the company filled 2019 with hiring announcements, commercial real estate deals and a new push toward regional collaboration in Northern Virginia. Hiring for Amazon’s estimated 25,000 HQ2 employees started in April 2019, […]
A sampling of Virginia’s major road projects
HAMPTON ROADS Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel Expansion Project The $3.3 billion Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel expansion is the largest construction project in the history of the Virginia Department of Transportation. In February 2019, Hampton Roads Connector Partners, a joint venture led by New York-based Dragados USA, won the design[...]
