7citiesVA

The crowds will be light for the MEAC starting out the week but just wait until Thursday, Friday, and especially Saturday. Granby street and the entire downtown will be swamped from 12 pm til 2 am. There are a lot of day parties and after parties taking place at the local clubs/bars/restaurants/marriot hotel.

I say renovate the scope and leave it for midsized events. It has historical significance. Use the land where Military Circle currently sits to build a "Mid-town" section of the city including a new larger state of the art arena, upscale hotel, a business tower or two, and some type of urban housing (apartments, condos). The location is central between the three cities of Norfolk, Va Beach, and Chesapeake, and it provides great interstate access for the other surrounding metro cities. Run the light rail through connecting to the airport and you have something serious on your hands. Norfolk could even see if Chesapeake, and Virginia beach would like to get in on the funding of the arena since it is central. It would help with pursuing a national team also.

The MEAC tournament has returned to Norfolk. Norfolk will host the tournament for the next three years. This year's tournament will run from the 11th - 16th of March with preliminary events beginning the 9th (Aretha Franklin concert). Im curious to see how (the new) Norfolk embraces this event. I know the tournament was held here a while ago, but so much has changed in Norfolk, and the surrounding areas since then. The CIAA tournament held in Charlotte draws an enormous crowd and has a positive impact on the city and its economy, but I think thats due in part to Charlotte truly embracing the tournament and going all out to welcome the people who attend. Im hoping the Meac tournament can do the same for Norfolk from now until 2015. Its also a bonus that NSU is smoking hot this season and is the tournament favorite looking to defend their title from last season. Theyre on a 14 game winning streak, are undefeated in the MEAC, have clinched the regular season title, and are looking to become the first team to go undefeated in the conference in 19 years and return to the NCAA tournament this year by winning the title again. This is some exciting stuff (at least to me, lol) and its in our backyard.

http://www.spiritmag.com/city_profiles/article/meet_hampton_roads/ Here is a nice spread that Spirit Magazine did on Hampton Roads in there September issue. According to the pilot, they were not paid to do this.

I truly hope so. I dont want the anti-light rail folks in Va Beach to have anymore ammo than they already have to not support the extension. I want to see it at least go to the oceanfront in this lifetime.

Am I the only one who is worried that light rail will fail miserably? Do any of you feel the same way? I use to be excited for this project, but after all the mishaps and cost overruns, Im not too confident that this first line will perform like it should... In hindsight, I actually feel like it was thrown together just to have a line.

Who actually believes that Virginia Beach will hop on board with this light rail? Should it be left up to the citizens to vote or should the city lead on this one? I hope Va Beach hops on board and I think they will eventually but how long will they wait? The benefits of running it all the way to the oceanfront down the ROW is a no brainer now that there is a town center, but I just hope that its not 10 years from now that they decide to act. In 1999 i can say maybe Va Beach wasn't ready, but whats the excuse going to be in 2008. Opportunities like this require action NOW, not putting it on the back burner to see if Norfolk will be successful. (If they hop on board, there is no way norfolk or va beach will be unsuccesful with light rail) In 1999 i think the mentality of the Va Beach citizen was alot different than it is now. There is more of a big city mentality now. I love this area but sometimes i get sick of waiting for it to make progress and watching cities like Charlotte and Atlanta boom only makes it worse. I know we have just as much potential as they have, maybe even more. Its bigger than light rail at this moment for me. I feel this is whats going to make or break this metro. The other metro's are kicking our a** at this point. Norfolk and Va Beach are the leading cities for Hampton Roads. (I wish they were one big city) If the light rail is extended and the line is a success/or even if it isnt, this will be the beginning of change as far as the cities not being looked at as separate but as one entity in a physical sense and mentally. The rest of the 7 cities will only follow suit bringing about a more unified region which will open the doors to bigger and better improvements/opportunities/developments.

well im a Norfolk State student and i want to know what idiot to contact so i can give them a piece of my mind. All of the students i have spoken with or even mentioned Norfolks light rail to are excited and really cant wait. Especially out of state students who come from the big cities. I hate to say it, but I hope the city ignores NSU on this one. They just want to come off as if they are concerned for students safety just to get sum good press. Thats all. This could be real positive for the school, and now they are against it. ?????????