Monthly News from Hampton Roads
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Note from the President
Doug Smith, Alliance President & CEO
As we close out the second quarter of 2023, the Hampton Roads Alliance continues to be a leading player for regional economic development. Today, I am excited to share with you our first-ever Mid-Year Report Video, highlighting the results of the Alliance’s activities thus far in 2023. Please take a moment to watch the quick, 90-second video linked below.
In the first six months of the year, the Alliance has supported 8 new project announcements that represent over 1,500 new jobs for the region and $180 Million in capital investment, which is already surpassing the Alliance’s job creation goal of 1,300 for the year. Looking forward, the Alliance has additional 10 projects representing nearly 1,800 jobs at the proposal stage, many of which we anticipate closing and announcing before year end. The Alliance has hosted 19 site visits so far and our business team has traveled over 71,800 miles to marketing the Hampton Roads region domestically and abroad.
In addition to exceeding our job creation goal for the year and a robust travel schedule, the Alliance has invested significant time and effort this year into several regional initiatives including site strategies; aerospace, aviation and air mobility; and the regional energy roadmap. Finally, the Alliance’s 5-year Capital Campaign, Allies in Economic Development, has raised more than $6.5 Million dollars. We will continue our focused fundraising efforts in an effort to secure $8.5 Million by September, and $10 Million by the year end.
Here at the Alliance, 2022 was largely defined as a year of building momentum, while 2023 is shaping up to be a year of strong performance and exceptional results. I am proud to say that the Alliance is a good regional economic development organization today, and on a path to becoming a very good regional economic organization in the next 12-18 months. More importantly, I am confident that 24 months from now, we will be a great economic development organization.
Also in this newsletter, you will see that Fairwinds Landing broke ground just yesterday, June 29, on a nearly 48,500-square foot Monitoring and Coordination Center (MCC) to be built on 7.5 acres at Fairwinds Landing, formerly the Lambert’s Point Docks, in Norfolk. When construction is completed in 2025, Dominion Energy will utilize the MCC as its homeport for operations and maintenance activities supporting its Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) commercial project off the coast of Virginia Beach. This groundbreaking is just the first step towards fulfilling Fairwinds’ vision is to transform the property into a world-class maritime operations and logistics center that supports the offshore wind, defense, and transportation industries. We anticipate several more projects announcing decisions to locate at Fairwinds Landing in the near future and look forward to continuing to work with Jerry Miller and his teams at The Miller Group and Fairwinds Landing, as well as the City of Norfolk on this effort.
Your ally in economic development,
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Alliance Mid-Year Report | The Alliance is excited to debut its first-ever Mid-Year Report video, highlighting successes for the year thus far. In the first six months of 2023, the Alliance has supported 8 project announcements that will generate over 1,500 jobs, exceeding our annual goal for the year! | | | |
Fairwinds Landing Project Breaks Ground in Norfolk | Developers have broken ground on the Fairwinds Landing maritime operations and logistics center supporting Hampton Roads’ offshore wind, defense and transportation industries. The development project at Norfolk Southern Corp.’s Lambert’s Points Docks in Norfolk is being spearheaded by Fairwinds Landing LLC, a partnership between The Miller Group, Balicore Construction and Fairlead Integrated. | Hampton Roads Alliance Hosts Finnish Maritime Delegation | In June, the Alliance partnered with the Embassy of Finland and Business Finland to bring a delegation of Finnish maritime, shipbuilding, and port technology companies to Hampton Roads to learn more about investment and partnership opportunities in the region. | Leading Geo-Data Company to Increase Offshore Wind Research in Virginia | |
Governor Glenn Youngkin announced that Fugro, the world’s leading geo‑data specialist, will expand its Americas Center of Expertise for Offshore Wind in the City of Norfolk.
“For the past three years, the Hampton Roads Alliance has been working with Fugro and its local team to support the growth of the emerging offshore wind industry in our region,” said Douglas L. Smith, President & CEO, Hampton Roads Alliance. “I am thrilled to see Fugro expanding in our region and continuing its commitment to the City of Norfolk. This business decision sends a strong message to the industry that Hampton Roads is an ideal location for the alternative energy industry cluster.”
| Global Container Shipping Company to Expand Headquarters in Virginia | Governor Glenn Youngkin announced that ZIM American Integrated Shipping Services Co., LLC, a subsidiary of publicly held Israeli international cargo shipping company ZIM Integrated Shipping Services Ltd., will invest approximately $30 million to relocate and expand its U.S. headquarters within the Hampton Roads region. Virginia successfully competed with other states for the project, which represents several hundred jobs over the next five years. | James City County Searches for Assistant Director of Economic Development | James City County’s Office of Economic Development is seeking to hire an individual to perform business attraction, development, and retention work. The person will assist in coordinating prospect attraction and support efforts with that of other County departments, the Economic Development Authority, commercial real estate brokers, regional organizations and State agencies; and, assist in coordinating Capital Improvement Projects, grant programs and other special projects and events; represent department as a liaison to various committees and external organizations. | Hampton University President Shares Ten-Year Strategic Plan | Hampton University President Darrell K. Williams shared the learning institute’s “Elevating Hampton Excellence” Strategic Plan 2023-2033 with a crowd of more than 90 people composed of community and business leaders, Hampton University alumnae, and other interested citizens at Virginia Peninsula Chamber of Commerce’s IMPACT Peninsula series. | Hampton Roads Warehouses Sell for $8.4M | |
A portfolio of three warehouses in Hampton Roads sold for $8.4 million in mid-May.
Tidewater Fleet Supply, an independent distributor of fleet, truck, trailer and heavy equipment parts, leases the properties.
The Norfolk warehouse sold for $6.03 million, according to city property records. The parcel is approximately 4.82 acres. In Chesapeake, the approximately 1.6-acre property sold for almost $1.8 million, property records show. The warehouse in Hampton is on roughly 0.51 acres.
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Offshore Wind Progress Creates Opportunity for Hampton Roads Businesses, Advocate Says | |
As the heart of the mid-Atlantic, Hampton Roads has key advantages for establishing offshore wind as a major sector, an economic development official said. U.S. offshore wind represents a $109 billion revenue opportunity for businesses in the supply chain over the next decade, according to a 2021 report by the Special Initiative on Offshore Wind.
“We really have a generational opportunity to grow the economy of Virginia,” Matt Smith, the Director of Energy and Water Technology for Hampton Roads Alliance, said about that opportunity.
| U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and City of Norfolk Sign Project Partnership Agreement | The City of Norfolk and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers signed a Project Partnership Agreement to move the City’s Resilient Norfolk Coastal Storm Risk Management (CSRM) Project forward. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides this $399 million in funding for the project to increase coastal resilience for the City of Norfolk. The Norfolk CSRM Project will help the City of Norfolk to reduce its flood risk, which is increasing due to climate change. | Virginia Peninsula Chamber Celebrates Opening Of New Office With Ribbon Cutting | After more than 15 years in Hampton, the Virginia Peninsula Chamber of Commerce recently opened a new office in Newport News. To celebrate the relocation to a more centralized space for its members, the Chamber hosted a ribbon cutting event on Thursday, June 1, followed by an open house the morning of Friday, June 2. | Virginia Ranks First for Customized Workforce Training | |
Virginia ranked first in the nation in customized workforce training, according to the recently released annual State Rankings Report by Business Facilities magazine.
The Virginia Talent Accelerator Program earned the commonwealth its coveted ranking in the report by Business Facilities, a national publication that serves as a resource for corporate site selection.
| Sentinel Robotics Solutions Demonstrates Communications Network | Sentinel Robotics Solutions Group recently demonstrated a fully integrated communications network to increase the capability and utilization of unmanned vehicle systems during the Port Security and Emergency Response Pilot Project in Hampton Roads. The project is sponsored by the Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation (VIPC), the Virginia Institute for Spaceflight at Autonomy (VISA) at Old Dominion University (ODU) and the Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM). The demonstration was performed at the Newport News Marine Terminal. | Offshore Wind is Building Momentum in Virginia Beach | Businesses that operate out of Virginia Beach are strategically positioned to reach all US East Coast offshore wind projects. As a result, the city is rapidly gaining traction with offshore wind players. The giant 2,500 MW Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project, and its neighboring 3,500 MW Kitty Hawk Offshore project, are located 27 miles and 41 miles off the coast of Virginia Beach respectively, and both will have onshore cable terminations in Virginia Beach. | New Innovate Hampton Roads Organization Established | StartWheel Corporation and Hampton Roads Innovation Collaborative have combined their education programs under the new name Innovate Hampton Roads to better educate, support, and help grow the innovation ecosystem in Hampton Roads. The official announcement was made at the HR BIZWHEEL Quarterly Expo on May 18 at the Slover Library in Norfolk. | |
Certified Origins Chooses Atlantic Union Bank for its Investments in North America | Certified Origins is investing over $40 million in the expansion of its production and sourcing capabilities in the United States by opening a state-of-the-art bottling and logistics center in Virginia, U.S., by 2024. The new facility, located in the City of Newport News, will serve as a hub for receiving high-quality olive oil imported in bulk from the Mediterranean area, North and South America through the Port of Virginia. | 36 Virginia Companies Make 2023 Fortune 1000 List | |
Thirty-six Virginia-based companies made Fortune magazine’s 69th annual Fortune 1000 list, which ranks the 1,000 largest United States corporations by total revenue. Congratulations to the companies on the list headquartered in, and with locations in, Hampton Roads!
Dollar Tree Stores (Fortune 150)
HII (Fortune 500)
Booz Allen Hamilton (Fortune 500)
SAIC (Fortune 500)
| Skilled Trades Academy Expanding to Offer More Training Options for Students | A celebratory event marked the start of the expansion of Tidewater Community College’s Skilled Trades Academy (STA) in Portsmouth. The expansion will provide an additional 12,000 square feet of space for workforce training. | |
Smithfield Foods Donates $300,000 To Veterans Employment Center In Newport News | In 2020, the Hampton Roads Workforce Council approached Smithfield Foods with a partnership idea to support their new Veterans Employment Center in Newport News. Smithfield Foods agreed to donate $300,000 over the next three years as part of their “Helping Our Heroes” initiative. | New TCC-ODU Monarch Ready Program Creates Pathway to Success | A new agreement between Tidewater Community College and Old Dominion University provides students with a new path to higher education. The new TCC-ODU Monarch Ready program was created to increase student success in Hampton Roads. The program offers students who need additional collegiate preparation prior to enrolling at ODU a chance to excel at TCC and guarantees their admission to ODU upon successful completion. | |
Alisa Crider
Director, Investor and Public Relations
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Alisa Crider joined the Hampton Roads Alliance as Director of Investor Relations in December 2019. She is an experienced professional dedicated to advocacy and community development and is passionate about working with business leaders. In her role, Alisa manages and oversees all of the organization's investor relations efforts and serves as a liaison between the Alliance and its public and private investors. She also works closely with the Marketing and Communications team, assisting in the Alliance's public relations efforts.
Prior to working at the Alliance, Alisa served as the Marketing & Communications Strategist for Hampton Roads Transit helping to advance the public transportation landscape in the region. She is an original board member and founder of tHRive, the largest young professional program of the Hampton Roads Chamber, with over 2,200 members.
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Alisa is a 2018 Lead Hampton Roads graduate and a CoVa Biz Millennial on the Move and Top 40 Under 40 Recipient. She serves on the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation board as Chair, on the Public Relations Society of America Hampton Roads Chapter board as President, and on her alma mater, Virginia Wesleyan University’s Alumni Council as Chair, where in 2018 she was named Graduate of the Last Decade. | |
Hampton Roads Alliance Mid-Year Update and Summer Soiree | |
The Alliance hosted its Mid-year Update and Summer Soirée at Norfolk Botanical Gardens on June 28 which served as an opportunity to celebrate successes and look toward the future. In the first six months, the Alliance supported 8 project announcements that will generate over 1,500 jobs, exceeding its annual goal for the year. Thank you to Norfolk Economic Development Authority for serving as the venue sponsor. | |
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