Elizabeth Cooper

“Virginia Beach is going to be the epicenter of economic development on the East Coast,” predicts the city’s mayor, Bobby Dyer. Photo by Mark Rhodes

Rolling out the red carpet

Tourism destination branches into tech, offshore wind

Published by

With high-speed subsea internet cables landing on Virginia Beach’s shores and massive wind turbines propelling off its coast, the state’s largest city is primed to welcome new businesses and industries…

China is historically Virginia’s top trading partner but it raised tariffs on Virginia exports such as soybeans and lumber in response to the trade war begun during the Trump administration. Photo courtesy Port of Virginia

A fair trade?

U.S.-China tensions still impact Va. economy

Published by

While President Joe Biden will likely strike a more diplomatic tone with China than his predecessor, economists and other observers believe the United States’ rocky trade relationship with its biggest…

Former Philip Morris USA President and CEO Cliff Fleet became Colonial Williamsburg Foundation’s ninth president and CEO in January 2020, just two months before the pandemic started. Photo by Mark Rhodes

History in the making

Colonial Williamsburg emerges revitalized from pandemic

Published by

Cliff Fleet took the helm of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation in January 2020 with a mandate to curb declining attendance and revenue at the nation’s largest outdoor living museum while…

Offshore wind presents “a generational opportunity to change the economics of Hampton Roads,” says Matt Smith, director of offshore wind business development for the Hampton Roads Alliance. Photo by Mark Rhodes

Wind at their backs

Region closes in on becoming offshore wind hub

Published by

Hampton Roads is on the cusp of becoming a supply chain hub for the thousands of components used to construct the massive turbines that will propel offshore wind farms being…

The $300 million Rivers Casino in Portsmouth will include a four-star hotel, theaters, restaurants and retail. Rendering courtesy Rush Street Gaming

Double play

Two casinos, just miles apart, will debut in Hampton Roads

Published by

Hampton Roads will be home to two Las Vegas-style casino complexes after Norfolk and Portsmouth voters overwhelmingly approved November 2020 referendums greenlighting the projects in their cities. The referendums passed…

In Suffolk, Amazon.com Inc. is building what will be the state’s largest industrial building, a robotics fulfillment center. Photo by Mark Rhodes

Bigger boxes

Manufacturing sector expanding in the region

Published by

Online retailing giant Amazon.com Inc. continues to expand its footprint in Virginia, bringing 1,500 jobs total to Suffolk and Chesapeake with the construction of operations facilities in those cities. Located…

Kate Staples, Dominion Energy’s manager of electrification, is working to spread the statewide adoption of electric vehicles such as this Dominion-branded car.

Charging ahead

Dominion Energy encourages electric vehicle adoption

Published by

Greener rides are on tap for schoolchildren and commuters as Dominion Energy Inc. accelerates efforts to increase the number of electric vehicles on Virginia roads. Electric transportation is a key…

Scheduled for completion in summer 2021, the Midtown Row mixed-use development near William & Mary will feature office and retail space and 240 apartments.

Hope springs eternal

After tough pandemic season, Williamsburg seeks 2021 renewal

Published by

Williamsburg’s tourism-steeped economy was on track for a banner year when COVID-19 knocked it off course. Businesses, including tourist attractions Busch Gardens Williamsburg and Colonial Williamsburg shut down, William &…