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August 2020 Newsletter
CEO Update
Greetings from the Gateway Region! In case you missed it, our region received a disappointing announcement this month. One of our major employers, Rolls Royce, will shut down operations and close their facility in 2021 due to the impacts of COVID-19 on the airline industry. The presence of Rolls-Royce in Prince George County has certainly helped put the Gateway Region on the map as an ideal location for advanced manufacturing companies. While we are sad to see this company leave the region, their current campus should be incredibly attractive to any new manufacturing firm. The buildings are roughly 10 years old - considered brand new in the world of advanced manufacturing - and it is ready with water, sewer, zoning and permitting. We are bullish about finding a new opportunity for the site and look forward to working with Prince George County on next steps. Meanwhile, the VGR Team has been busy planning stakeholder events this month which include a Business Council meeting on workforce solutions, a customer service training course for citizens with CCWA, and a regional economic development gathering featuring new data from the Site Selector Guild. If you have any questions or input, please do not hesitate
to reach out to me at: kboswell@gatewayregion.com or (804) 732-8971.
VGR Brand Video in Production

VGR has contracted with Departure Point Films to produce the first regional marketing video in several years. Two videos will be delivered. The first is a macro view of the Gateway Region’s assets from the perspectives of location, workforce and quality of life. Despite COVID restrictions, the film crew was able to travel to all seven localities and capture exterior footage of some of our greatest economic development assets. A second video will highlight individual companies and influencers in the region through interviews and storytelling.
Construction at Southpoint

HERE is a recent video shot by Departure Point Films showing construction on the 194,880-square-foot industrial facility owned by The Hollingsworth Companies in SouthPoint Business Park in Prince George County. This complete speculative building will be available in the first quarter of 2021 for sale or lease.
Partners Learn from the Site Selection Guild

VGR hosted its second virtual regional economic development meeting on August 27th. The keynote presenter was Chris Lloyd, Senior Vice President at McGuire Woods Consulting, and Vice Chairman of the Site Selection Guild. Chris shared key insights about the future of site selection trends in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more about the Guild’s recent study HERE.
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Partner Spotlight
Based in Richmond, Atlantic Constructors draws on the combined strength of the region's leading mechanical and industrial craftsmen. With safety as their guiding principle, they provide industrial and commercial customers a variety of high-quality design, fabrication, installation and maintenance solutions for projects and facilities. With over 580 employees, their broad mix of self-performed services ensures your projects are delivered consistently on time and on budget.