think anybody fully knows the ultimate opportunities of companies coming here.” Dominion Energy’s offshore wind farm also could help Hampton Roads attract data centers, adds Davenport. “Data centers are huge consumers of power,” he notes. “Dominion’s project paints the perfect picture of why Virginia Beach and Hampton Roads are one of the best places in the country for data centers. There will be an abundance of clean, renewable energy off the coast. Most in the data center industry see that as a big-time plus.” To ensure local labor is prepared to support these emerging industries, the city has allocated $1 million for a Tidewater Community College program to teach skills to support offshore wind and is engaging with TCC and Old Dominion University to address high-tech workforce issues. Virginia Beach also is working with the military to ensure the more than 13,000 officers and enlisted personnel leaving the Navy each year can transfer their experience into local jobs.
“Many of those individuals come out with skill sets that are perfect for the technology industry,” Davenport says. “We have to create a technology economy here in Hampton Roads and ensure that we place them in opportunities where they will stay in Virginia Beach.” Meanwhile, the city is partnering
with Naval Air Station Oceana to explore economic development opportunities around the massive installation. Freeing up land around Oceana would help reduce the base’s overall costs and bring additional tax revenues to the city, says Dyer. “It’s still early in the process, but there is a plethora of potential there that the Navy is embracing with us.” Overall, Virginia Beach’s economy remains strong despite the COVID-19 pan- demic. Last year, more than 1,700 jobs were created in the city, representing a nearly $228 million investment and projected tax revenues of $55.8 million over the next two decades. “We’re really an economic engine for the entire region,” says Adams, noting that manufacturing, defense, logistics, office and tourism sectors continue to perform well, while the city’s unemployment rate is recovering from the pandemic. “We’re confident we’re on the road back to where we were.”
Photo by Mark Rhodes
Engine trouble? Dyer attributes Virginia Beach’s eco- nomic growth to business owners’ tenacity and resilience. “A lot of credit goes to the strength of Virginia Beach and the people of Virginia Beach who live, work and have businesses here,” he says. “Our strengths are our people, [who] make Virginia Beach a true, desirable destination where people are welcomed.”
One of the state’s top tourism destina-
tions, Virginia Beach recorded the country’s highest hotel occupancy for 18 consecutive weeks last year amid the pandemic. “Once the beaches opened, that certainly helped,” Dyer says. “People could come to the beach for a healthy weekend.” Many visitors attend events at the $70 million Virginia Beach Sports Center that opened last fall at the oceanfront. Featuring 12 basketball courts, 24 volleyball courts, a 200-meter track and seating for 5,000 spectators, the 285,000-square-foot facility has already welcomed several NCAA tournaments. “It hit the market during the pandemic and has been fully booked,” says Adams.
Expectations are high that Atlantic Park will enjoy similar success. A $325 million public-private partnership between the city, Venture Realty Group and music superstar Pharrell Williams, the project will include a surf park, apartments, retail offices and an entertainment venue on 10 acres between
18th and 19th streets. Construction is expected to begin late this year. “Atlantic Park is a very big part of the oceanfront’s future,” says Dyer. “If you give people things to do that are fun and entertaining, it makes for a better situation.” Tourism is one of Virginia Beach’s major economic engines, but the luster has faded in some areas of the oceanfront. In response, the city revived its Resort Management Office to enhance the 40-block commercial district. The office will interact with visitors, promote safety, address homelessness issues and encourage property owners to update signage, awnings and other infrastructure. Safety at the oceanfront has come under increased scrutiny after two people died (including a cousin of Williams who was shot by a police officer) and eight others were injured during a chaotic night of gunfire in late March. In response, City Council approved a $1.87 million public safety plan, including adding security cameras and lighting and a gunshot detection system. Still, local officials stress that the violence was an isolated event, and they tout rankings in recent years listing Virginia Beach as one of the country’s safest large cities. “The city is being proactive, and we’re confident we will have a safe season going forward,” Dyer says. “We want people to come to the oceanfront, but we expect them to respect the law and each other.” ■
Virginia Beach’s status as a landing point for intercontinental high-speed internet cables makes it an attractive environment for data centers, says city Economic Development Director Taylor Adams.
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