[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6282152,"mediaKeyId","2598708-c2d22d93512e624a9a94967008e31a13","parentId",2598708,"title","Consultant: Virginia Beach Convention Center generated $76M in local visitor spending in 2023; revenue covers 63% of operating costs","audioSeconds",2583,"startMs",1822000,"endMs",4405000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2598708-c2d22d93512e624a9a94967008e31a13&start=1822&end=4405","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2598708-c2d22d93512e624a9a94967008e31a13/thumbnail_1822000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6282152/Virginia-Beach/Princess-Anne-County/Virginia/Consultant-Virginia-Beach-Convention-Center-generated-76M-in-local-visitor-spending-in-2023-revenue-covers-63-of-operating-costs","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6282152-46042679e3d1e2f269a2d4b022f6ccca/orig.mp4?Expires=1771164871&Signature=memeJOrITWDG689ahGjzWWtd9TFPf2xj4lmiafnVLipjZTuQFJdOmdim7P6pBrIUKuDIugmP7uT7t8fk7-~rb2RtCHMSGnKljsjfgrVIsod6YcDaYRweiwvgfKATauOodVG~IsgxhT41OHw-1G9cFIwl211fdK1EPEwGtGf0rZi4VTge3ZqOAlfy25QsCI4v23S4FmmwMNPv1IOiCb9kbGMtIi1B9L5DYfnsRWfDSE-T6cuQT5sGfNEgpWTt53P1Yly4sCvQiaArvVjKbO5IEY73nPMhXJ~ceeZnkNjBi~OKdw5xsmjDrkcekSoBpR2y-ze27j2SQFQMz7lgpins3A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Va Beach","date","2025-03-11T00:00:00Z","article","Adam Sachs of Tourism Economics (an Oxford Economics company) told Virginia Beach City Council that the city’s convention center generated $76 million in off-site visitor spending in 2023 and supported an estimated 814 jobs across the local economy.

Sachs, the consultant hired to benchmark the center, said his team limits the impact calculation to off-site spending by attendees — lodging, restaurants, shopping, transportation and recreation — and then models indirect and induced impacts through local supply chains and household spending. “$76,000,000 was spent by attendees to events at the convention center in the local economy in 2023,” Sachs said, adding the category breakdown included roughly $27 million in lodging, $24 million in restaurants, $10 million in shopping, $9 million in local transportation and $6 million in recreation.

Sachs said those direct impacts ripple through the local economy, producing about $10.8 million in additional economic activity and generating $9.8 million in combined state and local taxes; about $5.1 million of that tax revenue was local taxes, including roughly $2.5 million in hotel taxes. The consultant said the total economic activity the center catalyzed supported 814 jobs in 2023.

To evaluate the facility’s operating performance, Sachs compared Virginia Beach with 11 other convention centers and reported that the city’s center’s operating revenues covered about 63 cents of every dollar of operating expense. He said two commonly cited opportunities to improve the operating coverage ratio are (1) collecting parking revenue and (2) having a headquarters/attached convention hotel. Virginia Beach currently does not capture parking revenue at the level some peer centers do.

Sachs and staff emphasized that a broader fiscal lens — adding taxes generated by visitor spending — changes the arithmetic: when local tax revenue produced by the center is added to the center’s operating revenue, the facility becomes a net generator of tax revenue for the city. “If you add that [local taxes] to this calculation, to the revenue, you would be, well over 1,” he said, adding that “just the hotel taxes get you over 1.”

Council members and staff asked about the center’s mix of events (Sachs said consumer shows and sporting tournaments accounted for a large share of attendance and that trade shows/conventions represented about 12% of participant nights), utilization rates and strategies to increase convention- and trade-show business. Sachs said the center’s convention share is “on the low side” compared with many peers and that factors such as air access, an attached headquarters hotel and additional on-site food-and-beverage outlets can shape the facility’s ability to attract multi-day trade shows.

Staff committed to provide more granular utilization and “pickup” data in a Friday packet. Council members flagged short- and long-term operational challenges — particularly peak-period parking and shuttle logistics for large sporting and recreational weekends — and asked staff to return with options, which will be reflected in future briefings and budget conversations.

No formal council action was taken at the session; the presentation was provided in response to a December 2023 request for an economic-impact and operating-income analysis and to inform future decisions about facility management and resort-area planning.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Council Formal - 03/11/2025","oneSentenceSummary","Adam Sachs of Tourism Economics told Virginia Beach City Council that attendees to events at the Virginia Beach Convention Center spent $76 million in the local economy in 2023, supporting 814 jobs and generating about $9.8 million in state and local taxes.","taxTitle","Virginia Beach, Princess Anne County, Virginia","taxId",4851,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6282147,"City staff recommend building new law-enforcement training academy in ITA; initial design budget estimated at $8.6M, construction ~$82.6M",5036,4429000,9465000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2598708-c2d22d93512e624a9a94967008e31a13&start=4429&end=9465","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2598708-c2d22d93512e624a9a94967008e31a13/thumbnail_4429000.jpg","/articles/6282147/Virginia-Beach/Princess-Anne-County/Virginia/City-staff-recommend-building-new-law-enforcement-training-academy-in-ITA-initial-design-budget-estimated-at-86M-construction-826M","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6282147-1c9cd4b43d39aa5b73498e9ffc9424b1/orig.mp4?Expires=1771164871&Signature=L9UAzTtad6Qg-79aR5N1JlyyeyFVjrcsFhUsUmHkHVr7Ha83ZYWWHt2nxqMegeCLBhbSMG7p~vFRfv62KhmJ6zVZan9VXYgeRmXArNvZOeuc75tQG8K3QTLrOYSuJGeGYT26~yzb6~gP8gLCvkv6N67Fsu-nsng7i1GddTb5sYKagNrbhQD5CE~ysxLGeThWANIvvBgSef2SuBILV6~PsqNV1CRCUUkPJX-3rcsYDovdH28ZP2QxMenD5lloOzPaQTlmQ6efZ3bjD6yihjKTdXIKEcAsrTRb-aSgZ9eb4LsafNwlIpeB2nG1ASDwpvD27gjKGMqipZuUStkgt-so6g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","LJ Hanson, director of Public Works, presented a concept-level plan and cost estimate for a new Law Enforcement Training Academy (LETA) and recommended the city site it in the Innovation and Technology Area (ITA).

Hanson said the existing SeaTac Elementary School property is leased to the city for nominal rent but is functionally undersized and not configured for contemporary adult training. Staff updated space requirements following stakeholder meetings with the police and sheriff’s offices and now estimate a program on the order of the conceptual design presented. Hanson described the concept as three programmatic zones — physical training (“body”), an honors/legacy and common area (“spirit”), and classroom/administration (“mind”) — and said staff worked to maximize shared spaces for police and sheriff users.

The presentation included a planning-level cost estimate: staff identified an estimated total construction cost of about $82,600,000 for the building envelope and core work. Hanson emphasized that the figure excludes design fees, contingency, furnishings, specialized training equipment and site development; staff estimated design-phase funding of roughly 10% of building cost (about $8,600,000) would be required to reach a budgetary design package suitable for full funding requests. Sack timelines: Hanson said design would take roughly 18 months and construction about 24–30 months, so the entire program could require on the order of five years from design start to occupancy.

On site choice, Hanson recommended the ITA because the land is city-owned and ITA planning already identifies municipal uses on that parcel (Area 6). He noted tradeoffs: locating LETA in the ITA will require additional infrastructure work (Lansdowne Phase 4 construction and related site development) but avoids displacing potential higher‑and‑better uses at the existing SeaTac site. Hanson also reported the current SeaTac lease is a five‑year arrangement and the city appears to have roughly one year remaining on the present term.

Council members asked about range needs, permitting and operational impacts. Staff said an outdoor firing range at the ITA would present permitting, noise and proximity concerns and would likely be challenging because the ITA is not remote and is near residential areas; the police department and sheriff’s office are evaluating alternative long-term range options in and outside the region. Council members also raised questions about the comparative Chesapeake project and potential multi‑jurisdictional or public‑private delivery models; staff said those options can be explored but that funding direction would need to be set before advancing a procurement model.

Hanson described a recommended next step of funding the design phase and returning to council with a full, design‑level cost estimate and procurement recommendation; staff said design funding would be subject to the annual budget process. Council signaled general agreement with placing LETA in the ITA and directed staff to include the design funding request in the upcoming budget discussions. Hanson said staff will return after council direction to refine design and cost estimates and to continue stakeholder engagement.

This briefing generated no formal vote; council provided general direction to staff to proceed with planning and to include the design request for consideration during the budget process.","LJ Hanson, director of Public Works, recommended the city locate a new Law Enforcement Training Academy in the Innovation and Technology Area (ITA) and presented a concept layout and planning-level cost estimate including a roughly $82.6 million construction estimate and an $8.6 million design-phase request.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6282157,"Vibe Creative District marks 10 years as Virginia Beach nonprofit cites $33.9M sales growth, 613 artists",1691,106000,1797000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2598708-c2d22d93512e624a9a94967008e31a13&start=106&end=1797","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2598708-c2d22d93512e624a9a94967008e31a13/thumbnail_106000.jpg","/articles/6282157/Virginia-Beach/Princess-Anne-County/Virginia/Vibe-Creative-District-marks-10-years-as-Virginia-Beach-nonprofit-cites-339M-sales-growth-613-artists","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6282157-e2e402941f5aeabecdb6fec34ce2ac56/orig.mp4?Expires=1771164871&Signature=TNS0MrRcRMNvmOMrMfEG4j8rvZrXFo8TaSfSFZRffGDkia2pQBs8uKhtZnDnfVDYhwW8pldKzZkQnjLzdWpoqCpFuch2foO8Jfqbr8CEG1aJdhvoOVgF5HVewWi-14KUs0Imwh-N2v2gITSjCHdo3J4gL9e0D1XBiG0-U94o2h47lpsdIfFHrIb-WVP8sqKnsZW0iTdZHbYomb3sGRhbYl7niT~qbdsG0tXWSJDaOvslAKkJLcq9d3WXmCphfZwNCLza0VgIbyfrRPK1BE~obAtp-WxijNYnT2M63-td25xWgRFfRGKxyk2ilS7Fwp-jCbmz3G-nAIBdgHS76HAcFg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Kate Pittman, representing the Vibe Creative District nonprofit, told Virginia Beach City Council on March 11 that the district established by ordinance in April 2015 has grown from a “blank canvas” to a concentrated creative neighborhood with public art, new businesses and expanded visitor reach.

The presentation said Virginia Beach City Council adopted Ordinance 3402 (Chapter 9, Creative Districts) on April 21, 2015, to establish the Vibe District and incentives for adaptive reuse and small creative businesses. Pittman said the nonprofit has raised $2,300,000 over the last 10 years and paid more than $600,000 to local artists to create public art and programming.

The update framed the district’s impact in economic terms and cultural reach. “Gross sales within the District have increased $33,900,000 in the last 10 years,” Pittman said, and staff work with the commissioner of the revenue and the real estate assessor to benchmark changes. The presentation credited a $56,000,000 increase in assessed property values, and noted the city recognized about $900,000 in increased annual taxes compared with the 2015 baseline. Pittman said the district now contains roughly 15 blocks of contiguous private commercial property and that maps and online listings have driven international attention — the Vibe mural map has more than 700,000 views.

Pittman reviewed the nonprofit’s structure and partners: the Vibe nonprofit (founded 2015) operates with one paid staff member, two volunteer boards (about 55 board members combined) and more than 200 corporate and individual donors. She said the nonprofit’s database holds more than 1,000 artwork entries representing 613 individual artists from 20 countries, 34 states and 33 Virginia localities. Printed maps are produced biannually (50,000–100,000 copies per printing) and distributed statewide through Visit Virginia welcome centers.

Council members praised the Vibe’s placemaking work and economic returns. Members noted the district’s role in attracting businesses, new events and national press and credited city capital projects — including nearly completed improvements to Eighteenth and Nineteenth streets — for making event programming viable. Several members thanked Pittman and the nonprofit founders, and the mayor called the Vibe “a point of pride” for the city.

Pittman also outlined next steps: staff propose ordinance housekeeping updates to the Vibe ordinance, a pilot mobile-business program, a “Good Vibes” paver walkway fundraising resolution for Eighteenth Street, and a year-long human-interest campaign; the council will have the opportunity to adopt the paver-walkway resolution this spring. Pittman said council will also be asked to consider a block-party-style anniversary event and a publication of a mural retrospective later in the year.

No formal vote or council action was recorded on the presentation. Council discussion consisted of commendations, requests for continued partnership and a general acknowledgement of the district’s ongoing work. Pittman asked for questions and closed by thanking council for the partnership.

Local context: Pittman said city support through the Arts and Humanities Commission and the Tourism Incentive Program (TIP) Fund has ranged from $50,000 to $210,000 annually and that the nonprofit leverages that support with foundation grants and private donations. She described a successful small-business matching grant pilot (2017) that transferred $75,000 to the Economic Development Office and generated roughly $375,000 in private investment; the program later evolved into a citywide facade improvement grant.

The Vibe presentation and the council’s remarks were delivered during the council’s regular meeting prior to later agenda items; no ordinance changes or funding allocations were approved at the session.","Kate Pittman presented a 10-year update on the Vibe Creative District to Virginia Beach City Council, outlining growth in public art, private investment and tourism partnerships and proposing ordinance housekeeping and a fundraising paver program; councilors praised the district and raised no formal actions.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Consultant: Virginia Beach Convention Center generated $76M in local visitor spending in 2023; revenue covers 63% of operating costs

City staff recommend building new law-enforcement training academy in ITA; initial design budget estimated at $8.6M, construction ~$82.6M

Vibe Creative District marks 10 years as Virginia Beach nonprofit cites $33.9M sales growth, 613 artists