Tuesday, May 7, 2013
City staff are recommending approval of a new restaurant at the foot of King Street that would include outdoor dining.
Old Town Alexandria businessman Jody Manor is proposing to open a restaurant on the Union Street waterfront at the corner of the unit block of King Street by the Torpedo Factory. The space is currently occupied by the City of Alexandria’s Old Historic Alexandria museum store. The restaurant — open breakfast through dinner — would have 76 indoor seats as well as 20 outdoor spots along King Street and 54 seats along the city marina plaza area. Wine and beer would be available for on- and off-premise sales. The store would have large-screen televisions behind the counter for entertainment and kiosks with Old Town marketing information. Office of Historic Alexandria retail items also would be located in the space, according to the applicant, …
Monday, March 25, 2013
Alexandria Convention and Visitors Association President and CEO Patricia Washington sees a city poised to progress.
People visit Alexandria for its history, art, charm and ambiance, among other things. So when it comes to tourism, the city pretty much sells itself, right? Not exactly, says Patricia Washington, president and CEO of the Alexandria Convention and Visitors Association. “Tourism marketing works,” said Washington, who stepped into her job in late 2012. That’s something she learned from her tenure at the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation, she said, speaking with Patch at ACVA’s offices on N. Washington Street. “Tourism marketing is a big driver of economic impact for a city. It makes a difference in a city’s economy,” she said. “It generates revenues benefitting everyone in the city.” In fiscal year 2012, visitors to …
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Eric Wallner recently moved to Alexandria from Ventura, Calif., to help craft a strategic plan to grow the internationally recognized arts center and take it to the next level.
The number of questions that race around Eric Wallner’s brain is impressive as is his quest to answer them. The new Torpedo Factory Art Center Board CEO doesn’t really bring to mind Auguste Rodin’s "The Thinker" though, probably because he doesn’t have the luxury of sitting still that long — there’s that pile of grant applications sitting on his desk and all those meetings to attend. “The world has changed a lot since the Torpedo Factory first opened,” he said in an interview in his tiny office on the first floor of the art center. “There have been demographic shifts, new technologies and new ways to look at things that create new challenges for relevancy. We need to strengthen our mission. We’re figuring out what does it mean to be an art…
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
New study shows Alexandria's arts community is a big driver of economic growth.
The arts have a reputation for contributing to inspiration and innovation but when it comes to balancing a budget, the arts also have the right equation, according to new data released Tuesday. Randy Cohen, a vice president with Washington, DC-based Americans for the Arts, outlined that the arts mean business to an enthusiastic crowd at the Little Theatre of Alexandria. Arts and culture are a significant industry in the City of Alexandria – generating nearly $71 million in total economic activity and supporting 1,774 full-time jobs in fiscal year 2010, he said. “The arts are not just food for the soul but putting food on the table,” Cohen said. For the quickest Alexandria updates, join the conversation with Old Town Alexandria Patch on …
Monday, December 10, 2012
Patricia Washington and her staff awarded exceptional Alexandria staff.
The new CEO of the Alexandria Convention and Visitors Association made her first official appearance at its Tourism Marketing Forum on Friday night. Patricia Washington and her staff recognized individuals who contributed to the success of ACVA in 2012 during the annual forum, which was held at Historic Mount Vernon for the third year in a row. Recently appointed Mount Vernon CEO Curtis Viebranz welcomed guests to the event. “This is a wonderful introduction for me to the many ways in which ACVA collaborates with its membership,” said Washington in a release. “I am excited to be in Alexandria for many reasons, including the compelling stories our businesses have to tell. These awards are great examples of how we will work in partnership …
Saturday, October 6, 2012
Patricia Washington comes to Alexandria from the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation.
Alexandria’s official tourism promoter has a new president and CEO — Patricia Washington from the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation. Washington, who worked in her Philadelphia position for 12 years, will start her new position at the Alexandria Convention and Visitors Association Nov. 13. She is the third person to lead ACVA since it was created 13 years ago. “We are so pleased to welcome such a dynamic and innovative leader,” said Jody Manor, chair of the ACVA Board of Governors. “Patricia is joining a strong organization and a booming tourism economy — Alexandria has seen a 22 percent growth in visitor spending in the last five years. We know it will take a truly exceptional candidate to take the power of the ACVA to the…
Friday, September 28, 2012
In five years, the city has seen a 22 percent increase in visitor spending, far outpacing Virginia and Northern Virginia.
Alexandria experienced a more than 8 percent increase in visitor spending in 2011 over the prior year, bringing in $23 million in city tax revenue. In five years, visitor spending has increased 22 percent in Alexandria, significantly outpacing increases for Virginia and Northern Virginia, both at 9 percent, said Elizabeth McLaughlin, vice president of research at Virginia Tourism Corporation, who spoke at the event held at Metro Stage in Old Town. ACVA Acting President and CEO Lorraine Lloyd said that for each dollar spent to attract visitors, there was a $133 return on investment in visitor spending. To reflect the importance of attracting visitors to the area, City Council passed a fiscal year 2013 budget for ACVA with a $100,000 …
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Thursday, September 27, 2012
Eric Nelson, owner of two small businesses in Alexandria, received the Alexandria Convention and Visitors Association's Partner of the Year award for his efforts in boosting tourism.
Del Ray business advocate Eric Nelson received the David G. Speck Partner of the Year Award on Thursday morning from the Alexandria Convention and Visitors Association during its annual meeting. A surprised Nelson, a board member of ACVA and owner of Artfully Chocolate in Del Ray and Artfully Gifts and Chocolate in the Carlyle district and a former Del Ray Business Association president, accepted the award from its namesake, former City Council member David Speck. Speck said Nelson “richly deserved” the award for his passion for Alexandria, ACVA and Del Ray. In turn, Nelson said: “It hasn’t been a job, it’s been a pleasure,” speaking of his work with Alexandria. Speck told the packed house at Metro Stage on Royal Street that nobody should …
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Stephanie Pace Brown is leaving the Alexandria Convention and Visitors Association for a new job in June.
Stephanie Pace Brown, the head of the Alexandria Convention and Visitors Association, is leaving in June to take a job in North Carolina. ACVA President and CEO Brown will head the Asheville Convention and Visitors Bureau. Brown has been Alexandria’s top tourism official since 2007. During her tenure, visitor spending has increased 17 percent—more than doubling the average growth in Virginia and neighboring jurisdictions, according to ACVA. Brown implemented research and redeveloped Alexandria’s tourism brand, and the new theme “Shop, Dine & Celebrate on America’s Historic Main Streets” was introduced. VisitAlexandriaVA.com now attracts more than 1 million visits annually. “Stephanie has done a fabulous job for Alexandria,” Mayor Bill …
Monday, October 3, 2011
Number of booked hotel rooms in city continues to rise.
The Alexandria Convention and Visitors Association announced a 6.7 increase in city visitor spending in 2010 at its annual meeting Friday held at United Way International in North Old Town. Last year, visitors spent $657 million in the city, generating $22.4 million in tax revenue. The number of hotel rooms booked in city has also risen in each of the last two years, bucking downward national trends created by the country’s economic downturn. “We understand that investing in tourism promotion generates revenue to pay for services needed by the citizens of Alexandria, and supports businesses that enhance the quality of life,” City Councilman and ACVA board member Paul Smedberg said. Smedberg gave full credit to ACVA President and CEO …
Doug
1:09 pm on Wednesday, May 8, 2013
@Saralee: What would you rather see in this space and in the food court pavilion? more ›