BeagleAccountant

Better off not awarding it at all and stocking up for an actual win.

Seems like a weird way to spend that grant, right? They already are doing business locally, so most employees wont need to relocate. And they have zero need to find new businesses in the area to deal with since they are already entrenched here. All you're really left with are the taxes the business pays, perhaps more business towards local businesses who serve the employees (gas and food) and the rent they'll pay towards the city. It could take a while for VB to recoup the grant they received. So it really is hard to find any tangible downstream impact or benefit of awarding this economic development incentive to another local business.

It’s right there in the headline, they got a nice grant from VB to move. If Norfolk isn’t bringing a competitive offer, the business leaves simple as that.

Would assume this being broken into 2 phases is also related to the flood/seawall project. City and army corps need to get that work done before a hotel can be built on that part of the property.

The station is mostly hidden in the image, you can just barely see the top of it behind that roof with all the mechanical equipment on it.

Came 2 days after the city, army corps and state signed the agreement for the new flood/storm plan.

Due to them devoting most of the ground level to parking, there is very limited commercial space on the property. I'd assume it ends up a bank or just used for their leasing office. Feels like a missed opportunity to not include a restaurant space on the top level with a rooftop patio.

Whether they do the right thing for the city with the property is a different discussion altogether. It’s still a bargain price for a piece of land that could impact downtown in a big way whether positively or negatively.

It gives the city complete control over the future of the property. And at that price, it's a bargain for such an important plot in our city.

I know it would need to go to referendum and there are a ton of potential uses for this property, including an arena. But MacArthur could be quickly retrofitted into a casino.

Pins Mechanical sounds just like Pixels, a retro arcade and bar not that far away from this development on Colonial and 21st.

Barrel 17, a burger bar based in Virginia Beach's Arts District, is on the agenda for the May 25th Planning Commission meeting. They are applying for their CUP for alcohol sales at 330 W. 22nd Street, Suite 106. This space was previously Mermaid Winery. You can see the rest of the agenda at the following link: http://norfolkcityva.iqm2.com/Citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=1&ID=2247&Inline=True

City Council approved the $2.6B floodwall plan last night: https://www.pilotonline.com/government/local/vp-nw-floodwall-council-norfolk-20230426-znbrwhh3o5a7nka5c5k3vmpdk4-story.html

Hampton Roads Transit recently released updated maps and details of the Military Highway Light Rail Extension. They are calling this phase 1. Phase 2 will look at creating a Bus Rapid Transit line to Norfolk Naval Station. There is a comment option for residents to leave feedback. https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/f86e2380a7c04797b9f61937ab9c5010?fbclid=IwAR2WYI62xpqMXrGmlVagvPHvISchL4cVVajDKHcXdYl4Mou-2kMPGvO9tpU&mibextid=Zxz2cZ

Here's a brief article on the new restaurant that took over the former location of Red Dog on Colley, it's a chain spot called Tacos Y Tequila. The article also notes that YNot and Off The Hook on Colley recently closed: https://www.pilotonline.com/food-drink/vp-bz-tacos-red-dog-0423-20230421-flr6erav7nd6vakbzuyhfsli3e-story.html

Look out for silt fencing installation here soon.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Updated renderings for this development. It's on the discussion list for the ARB today.

Not sure if this is the best thread for this. But Norfolk is receiving a $1.6 million grant to create a solution to the 'spaghetti bowl' that cuts off historically black neighborhoods from the core downtown area. "The St. Paul's section of Norfolk, Elizabeth River waterfront, and Norfolk State University neighborhoods in particular all bore the brunt of impacts from this large segment of I-264." https://www.13newsnow.com/article/news/local/mycity/norfolk/norfolk-i-264-reconnecting-communities-grant/291-5bd56fef-1454-4bc3-b794-8159c004105f

Okay thanks. You put me into a internet black hole looking into all their licensing agreements and I appreciate that, really. I still would prefer an MGM or Circa casino. Haven't been a fan of the couple Bally's resorts I've been to.

I love the idea of putting out an RFP though there is no guarantee it passes referendum again which would need to happen if they go in that direction. As for Bally's, their parent company Diamond Sports is currently going through bankruptcy. So, give me MGM or Circa please.

Have y'all been to Waterside lately? With how poorly it's managed most days, I'm not sure I'd trust them with something so big.

Guess they aren’t enforcing it. I was at MGM Grand in October and a fellow gambler at the blackjack table was smoking a cigar.

This is pretty common for casinos. They don't want you to stop gambling for all of your cigarette breaks. This is the same reason you get comped drinks when playing table games or placing bets. They want to keep you at the tables. More importantly, like most casinos, they have an amazing ventilation system and I couldn't notice any of the smoke. Can say the same for the casinos I've visited in Vegas; Mandalay Bay, Circa, MGM Grand and Bellagio.

For the folks who want the mall site to be re-developed, isn't the mall failing a good thing?