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Hampton Roads Alliance tells Newport News council region must keep investing to capture jobs and private dollars
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Summary
The Hampton Roads Alliance urged continued city investment in a regional economic strategy—citing defense, energy, aerospace and logistics—while a public commenter suggested monetizing city assets to fund services and development.
Doug Smith, president and CEO of the Hampton Roads Alliance, thanked the council for prior support and urged continued investment in a regional economic-execution effort he described as the Hampton Roads Playbook.
“My name is Doug Smith, and I'm the president and CEO of the Hampton Roads Alliance,” Smith said. He described the playbook as an "execution platform" focused on defense, energy, aerospace and logistics and said Newport News is "central to this effort," listing local assets such as Newport News Shipbuilding and Jefferson Lab as advantages the region can leverage for jobs and investment.
Alan Tanner, a downtown developer and longtime resident, urged the city to consider monetizing municipal assets—particularly downtown parking and real-estate holdings—to attract private capital and help pay for city priorities. Tanner said recent investor interest and opportunity-zone incentives present a chance to bring private-sector money into public projects but emphasized the need to direct those dollars toward servicing disadvantaged residents.
Why it matters: Smith framed the Alliance’s work as a way to multiply city dollars through private investment and regional partnership; Tanner’s comments underscore local interest in using municipal assets to expand the city’s tax base and finance services.
The council closed the public hearing by a 7-0 vote after public comment.
