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Economic Development
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FREDERICKSBURG — For the first time, the George Washington Regional Commission (GWRC) is creating a comprehensive economic development plan for Planning District 16 — and it wants to hear directly from the community.
GWRC, which serves Caroline, King George, Spotsylvania, and Stafford counties, as well as the City of Fredericksburg, has launched an online survey to help shape a Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS). The initiative is funded by a grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration and facilitated by GWRC’s consultant, RKG Associates, Inc.
Tourism Spending in Virginia Hits Record $35 Billion; Prince William Sees More Out-of-State Visitors
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PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, Va. – Virginia welcomed more visitors and more tourism dollars in 2024 than ever before, generating a record $35.1 billion in spending, Governor Glenn Youngkin and the Virginia Tourism Corporation announced this week. That’s up 5.4% from $33.3 billion in 2023 and marked the first time overnight visitation surpassed pre-pandemic levels. More than one million additional overnight visitors came to the Commonwealth in 2024 — a total of 44.7 million people.
Statewide, travelers spent an average of $96 million per day, up from $91 million the year before. Tourism supported more than 229,000 jobs in 2024, nearly 5,000 more than in 2023, and generated $2.5 billion in state and local tax revenue. Officials say that amounts to $990 in annual savings for each Virginia household.
DUMFRIES, Va. – Dumfries Town Council heard from a group of community leaders, entrepreneurs, and development experts during its July 1, 2025, meeting — each vying for a seat on the town’s newly created Economic Development Authority (EDA).
The EDA, formally established in April by ordinance, will operate as an independent legal entity tasked with helping the town attract new businesses, support existing ones, and guide redevelopment along key corridors such as Main Street and the Quantico Creek waterfront. While the Council retains appointment power and oversight, the authority’s independence will allow it to pursue economic growth strategies more flexibly than town government alone.
WOODBRIDGE, Va. – A new walkable community featuring more than 1,000 homes, restaurants, and Prince William County’s first Whole Foods Market is moving closer to reality at one of the region’s busiest intersections.
Over 100 people attended a community meeting at the Prince William County Government Center in Woodbridge on Saturday, July 12, where county officials and developers shared updated timelines and new design details for the Quartz District, a long-planned mixed-use development located at the intersection of Minnieville Road and Prince William Parkway. But the project’s future hinges on the construction of a Single Point Urban Interchange (SPUI)—a first for the county.
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MANASSAS, Va. – Northern Virginia’s first Innovation District is officially underway, thanks to a major investment from the state.
Governor Glenn Youngkin recently announced a $2.6 million grant from GO Virginia, a state-funded initiative focused on strengthening regional economies and supporting high-wage industries. Local governments, businesses, and educational institutions will contribute an additional $1.3 million, bringing the total initial investment to $3.9 million.
MANASSAS, Va. – Senator Mark Warner visited the City of Manassas on Thursday, June 12, 2025, where he joined Mayor Michelle Davis-Younger, Vice Mayor Mark Wolfe, and City Council Members Ashley Hutson and Ralph Smith for a tour of RapidFlight, the city’s unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) manufacturer. The visit highlighted RapidFlight’s role in national defense innovation and the city’s growing importance in advanced technology manufacturing.
The same day, Micron Technology, Inc. announced a major national investment plan totaling approximately $200 billion, including $150 billion in domestic memory manufacturing and $50 billion in research and development. The plan includes an expansion and modernization of Micron’s existing facility in Manassas, supported by a $275 million CHIPS Act direct funding award. Work at the Manassas site is expected to begin this year.
Join us for an in-depth, inspiring conversation with Mayor Derrick Wood of the Town of Dumfries, Virginia’s oldest continuously chartered town. Hosted by Uriah Kiser, publisher of Potomac Local News, this live podcast dives deep into the major transformations reshaping the town—making it a destination rather than a drive-through.