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Hampton Roads Alliance

Today is World Tourism Day! 🌎 Tourism is a huge economic driver for Hampton Roads. From the beautiful, sandy shores of Virginia Beach to the centuries of culture that define the Historical Triangle, Hampton Roads is a great place to explore, and there are countless ways to appreciate the beauty of the region. Today, we thank everyone who plays a part in improving our region's quality of life, allowing the tourism industry to flourish. What is your favorite local attraction or site to visit? Tell us in the comments below!

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Hampton Roads Alliance4 days ago

Governor of Virginia Glenn Youngkin announced today that Alliance Investor Amazon.com will build two world-class facilities and create more than 1,000 new jobs in the City of Virginia Beach (Virginia Beach City Government)! Alliance President and CEO Douglas L. Smith stated “In the past few years, Amazon has truly embraced the Hampton Roads community, opening facilities in multiple locations and quickly becoming one of the region’s major employers. Today’s announcement marks yet another milestone in Amazon’s investment in and dedication to Hampton Roads. The Alliance congratulates Amazon, along with the Virginia Economic Development Partnership and Virginia Beach Department of Economic Development on their continued success and thanks them for their commitment to growing the Hampton Roads economy.” Learn more: https://www.vedp.org/press-release/2023-09/amazon-virginiabeach

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Hampton Roads Alliance1 week ago

Hampton Roads Workforce Council hosted their exciting Workforce Innovation Awards last evening at Rivers Casino Portsmouth! 👏 Congratulations to all the winners including Michael Paris, Bureau Manager for Norfolk Economic Development, for being named 2023 Workforce Champion of the Year!

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Matt Smith

Director, Energy & Water Technology

Matt Smith joined the Hampton Roads Alliance in August 2020 as the organization's Director of Offshore Wind Business Development; in 2022 Matt's role expanded to cover the wider energy and water technology sectors. Matt leads the effort to develop a supply chain development initiative to promote the emerging offshore wind industry and to position similar energy-based industries for growth in the region. This initiative will position Hampton Roads as the premier destination on the East Coast for offshore wind companies to invest, while also creating new economic prospects for existing businesses, attracting new investments to the region, and sparking new permanent job creation.

Before joining the Alliance, Matt was a Senior Regional Planner at the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission (HRPDC). He worked in the areas of strategic, environmental, and comprehensive planning. Matt led efforts at the HRPDC on issues ranging from offshore wind to site development readiness. Matt came to the HRPDC from the City of Hampton’s Community Development Department where he helped begin Hampton’s resilience planning program. Prior to his career in community development, Matt worked for a member of the U.S. House of Representatives and for a research and consulting firm.

Matt is a native of Hampton Roads. He has a Master’s Degree in Urban and Regional Planning from Virginia Commonwealth University and a B.A. in American History from Washington and Lee University.

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Hampton Roads Alliance
3 Commercial Place, Suite 1320
Norfolk, VA 23510
P: (757) 627-2315
F: (757) 623-3081