Virginia Beach made The New York Times’ “52 Places to go in 2026.” Tourists flock to Virginia Beach, bringing millions of dollars to spend. That number can increase significantly if Virginia Beach becomes a year-round recreational destination based on eco and sports tourism. But our city council continues to refuse to capitalize on this opportunity?
Our latest Comprehensive Plan draft lays out an ideal city by 2040: “Tourism will continue to be an economic cornerstone, with a focus on attracting people year-round to the Resort Area. The city is actively diversifying its economy into new industries, such as high tech, logistics, ecotourism, advanced manufacturing, sports tourism, entertainment and defense.” To meet part of this intent (eco and sports tourism), the Department of Parks and Recreation produced a detailed document about how to meet these requirements in the Interfacility Traffic Area (ITA) Master Plan Update of Oct. 1, 2024.
However, the Virginia Beach Development Authority (VBDA) has another plan for the ITA. After failing to attract biomedical/high-tech companies to the Biomedical Park, the area was renamed Innovation Park and opened to light industry. As stated In the first draft of the 2040 Comprehensive Plan (and now removed after residents opposed heavy industry below the Green Line), in the Innovation Park section, “This is where “innovative technology businesses” are.
One tenant in the park is Acoustical Sheetmetal Company (ASM). Take a look at its website; it’s not a light industry. We spent approximately $22 million on the Princess Anne/Hudome Way intersection leading into the park. That money could have been applied to road needs across our city.
What about storm water management? “The Green Line restricts building intensity and density within the Southern Rivers Watershed, an area designated for agriculture and conservation, with notable flood risks.” Storm water mitigation money here will not be available in other districts.
To become a true recreational destination and not a candidate for future rust-bucket status, there are needed changes to the thinking of City Council, the VBDA and local developers. Read the Comprehensive Plan; there are plenty of opportunities for industrial development across the city north of the Green Line.
With government and private funding and innovative thinking, linked to initiatives in the Comprehensive Plan, eco and sports tourism in the ITA can become a sustainable revenue producing enterprise.
A Jan. 5, 1997, Virginian-Pilot article stated “Two years ago, the City Council adopted a long-range resort improvement plan that included development of several tournament quality golf courses. Within four years, the city could begin realizing its long-held dream of offering top-flight facilities to golfers around the country.”
Flash forward 27 years and look at the state of our golf courses. Heron Ridge Golf Club had a profit of $669,000 in 2023. Virginia Beach National has a profit of $740,000 in 2023. Now City Council wants to sell Virginia Beach National. The old Signature Golf Course sits idle. These courses are/were profitable. In comparison, the estimated return on investment as defined by the city for ASM is 63 years based on annualized tax projections vs. incentivized land giveaways.
With better tourism management, golf could be added to the sports tourism package. There are other natural attractions in the area well documented in the ITA Master Plan Update. We have the assets to become a national recreation destination.
The Comprehensive Plan is written as a guideline to get to a sustainable future. I acknowledge that growth is necessary, but unplanned growth is dangerous and it’s bad for our city’s future. We need to fund roads, storm water management and school modernization across the city, not build on land residents paid for and the VBDA wants to give away.
If you agree with this, please let your City Council representative know how you feel. Time is running out for a bright future.
Michael Wisloski is a resident of West Neck Village in Virginia Beach.