Alexandria’s recovery from the pandemic is going faster than expected, according to Visit Alexandria.
Alexandria’s tourism bureau, in its annual meeting last week, reported that consumption-based tax revenue for fiscal year 2021 came in at $59 million. That’s $6 million more than the initial forecast of $53 million, but well below the all-time high of $66 million in fiscal year 2019.
Alexandria appoints flood mitigation manager — “Effective Oct. 11, Daniel Medina will serve as the Flood Action Alexandria program manager. The new position will include coordination across city departments on the flood mitigation program and manage the city’s stormwater capital project lineup.” [Patch]
McAuliffe, Youngkin unload in feisty final Virginia debate — “Terry McAuliffe and Glenn Youngkin bickered their way through the second and final debate of Virginia’s competitive governor’s race on Tuesday, trading attacks and accusations from the start of the hourlong meeting.” [Politico]
Visit Alexandria launched a new advertising campaign last week focusing on attracting Black visitors. Using federal funding from the American Rescue Plan Act, Visit Alexandria hired D.C.-based Creative Theory Agency to develop the “Drop-in” campaign with help from business owners and leaders around the city.
“We’re thrilled to roll out this major new campaign to build on our last 8 years of painting a more complete and inclusive picture of Alexandria,” said Visit Alexandria President & CEO Patricia Washington. “Our destination is more ready than ever for this campaign given the City of Alexandria’s investment and development of new Black history experiences through the Office of Historic Alexandria, citywide priority around race and social equity, as well as newly-opened businesses and the transformation of our waterfront.”
Over 70 restaurants city-wide are planning to host special deals on meals for the biannual Restaurant Week.
The local event is organized by Visit Alexandria and features meal specials at restaurants across the city — though most of them are in Old Town and Del Ray.
The city’s annual sidewalk sale is scheduled for August 14 and 15, and according to Visit Alexandria, the program is on track to be the largest one so far.
According to Visit Alexandria, over 70 local boutiques have signed up for the seasonal sale. The sale is located along several city sidewalks in Old Town and Del Ray, with a focus this year on the pedestrian-only blocks at 700-1100 King Street. The stores will be featured in outdoor exhibits with deeply discounted merchandise.
With Alexandria being represented at the Olympic games, some local restaurants are celebrating with special events and meals.
According to a list put out by Visit Alexandria, there are some of the local specials and events planned for the Olympics.
Alexandria will spend millions on emergency financial support programs, stormwater repair, childcare and dozens of other projects as part of its first portion of American Rescue Plan Act funding.
“Now the really hard work begins,” Mayor Justin Wilson said after Council’s unanimous passage of a plan Tuesday night. “I think this is an opportunity to make some transformational investments.”
Alexandria’s tourism bureau just got the most visits ever on its website, but it’s a mixed bag for businesses on the ground.
The Visit Alexandria website got 274,000 visits in May, which is 45% higher than May 2019, CEO Patricia Washington reported in a Zoom meeting last week.
With this week giving Alexandrians their first taste of warmer weather, locals are turning their attention to the upcoming cherry blossom season.
This cherry blossom season, generally running through March and April, is a regional celebration of the Japanese tree marred for the second year by the specter of COVID-19.
As Congress deliberates approval of a $1.9 trillion stimulus package, Alexandria is trying to figure out how it will spend its share.
Alexandria is anticipating $26 million to $34 million, depending on the final plan. The $1.9 trillion stimulus proposal includes $350 billion for local governments.
Virginia Rolls Back Some Restrictions on Dining, Outdoor Gatherings — Effective Mar. 1, Virginians will be able to buy and drink alcohol at restaurants, food courts, breweries, distilleries, and wineries until they are required to close at midnight. The changes to the current executive order come amid declining rates of hospitalizations and infections and rising vaccination rates in the Commonwealth, Northam said during a press conference this morning (Wednesday).” [Reston Now]
Alexandria Black History Museum Launches Online Exhibition — “Following George Floyd’s murder on May 25, 2020, the Alexandria Black History Museum (ABHM) requested that Alexandria residents share their thoughts, artwork, and more. ABHM wanted to document the Alexandria community’s response of this tragic event and preserve it for future generations. An online exhibition featuring the items received so far launched recently on the Historic Alexandria Online portal. The items collectively are called the Black Lives Remembered Collection.” [Zebra]
