MANASSAS — At a Tuesday morning meeting at the Manassas Chamber of Commerce, a trio of mayors from towns in Prince William County related their plans and successes in bringing new economic opportunities to their respective towns.
Mayors David Leake of Haymarket, Earnie Porta of Occoquan, Derrick Wood of Dumfries all discussed their recent experiences as part of the CC’s “Meet the Mayors” event. The trio discussed clearing out blighted and unused areas of their towns to make way for new projects and business opportunities.
Leake discussed taking advantage of tourism dollars by attracting Hilton a Hilton Garden Inn to the town. Its corporate offices based in McLean, Hilton is expected to build a The new 110 room hotel that will come complete with a restaurant and bar. The new hotel is expected to attract at least 900 900,000 visitors a year and bring in and about $110 million in revenue to the town over 12 years. Â
But just attracting new businesses was only one aspect as Leake also discussed saving money by housing the town’s police department and municipal offices all in one building, spending $150,000 on exterior renovations instead of spending an anticipated $1.1 million quoted cost for a new town hall.
Porta discussed how revenue from businesses has been the biggest source of revenue for the Town of Occoquan. Various revenue streams such as meals taxes from restaurants, real-estate, and BPOL (Business Professional Occupation License) taxes have all been large contributions to the town’s coffers.
Porta also discussed a large development project that is slated to start in September. The at the old dry docks that run from the town hall down to Mill Street. It will be redeveloped into one large structure, a new housing complex that will hold 88 one and two-bedroom homes, at least five new stores, and a parking garage. The permitting process is expected to begin in September.Â
Wood discussed the ongoing and potential in continued growth in Dumfries, and his hopes of turning the town into “a destination that people would drive to rather than drive through.” One part of the initiative involves the Route 1 Widening Project, partially funded by the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority (NVTA) with the hope that it will allow for new opportunities to come into the town.
According to Wood, the population of Dumfries is expected to grow by 30% over the next 5 to ten years. Another potential source of revenue for the town would a gaming tax. Colonial Downs is looking to open an off-track betting site in the town that would allow bettors to play the horses without having to come to the track itself.Â
The referendum will be on the ballot in November.
Mayor Wood also discussed trying to save revenue, he discussed having taken the option of buying a building for the new town hall for $7 million instead of building a completely new building which would have cost $11 million. Wood also discussed that a DMV Select would soon be opening in that very building next Monday.Â
Town officials have yet to provide any information to Potomac Local on how much the new DMV office will cost taxpayers.
The meeting ended with a short question and answer session before the event wrapped up.Â
Mayor Kevin Brown, of Quantico, the fourth town in Prince William County, was also slated to attend but did not show up.
Editors note: This post has been corrected.
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