By Kelsey Thomas
Virginia Beach is lucky to be a city that is always growing and evolving. Whether it be with new developments or new attractions, the area thrives off refinement and restoration.
Virginia Beach Sports Center
The recently completed multi-sport complex is the East Coast’s newest and largest indoor sports complex and is expected to drastically impact off-season tourism in a positive manner. With youth sports, adult sports, various events and tournaments, state-of-the-art facilities and more, the Virginia Beach Sports Center attracts both local and traveling sports teams.
The complex is located less than a mile away from the resort area and features a 200-meter indoor hydraulically banked track, 12 hardwood basketball courts that can transform into 24 volleyball courts, versatile meeting and flex spaces, concessions and seating for up to 5,000 spectators. It also houses several competitions throughout the year, like the Neptune City Classic that will take place June 11-12 and the Feast Jam and Sneaker Slam happening Oct. 29-30.
The AVE Program Colored the Oceanfront
The pilot program called The AVE, standing for “Activate, Visit, Experience,” is dedicated to helping the city of Virginia Beach make improvements that benefit both locals and tourists alike. One of their major projects included sprucing up the resort area while also making the designed spaces more functionable for businesses and the public.
Artists flooded Atlantic Avenue between 17th and 20th Streets to paint murals down the commercial strip. New walking and bike paths can be found beaming on the sides of the road and vivid parklets, or outdoor entertainment spaces, now serve as a brilliant multi-purpose area where visitors can rest or enjoy outdoor dining.
The Laskin Road Bridge Replacement & Widening Project
With construction that began in 2019 and expected to be completed by spring 2023, this project maintains efforts in enhancing roadway safety and increasing capacity of both drivers and pedestrians.
Starting at Republic Road and extending through the First Colonial Road intersection, the Hilltop area is a heavily traveled spot, as it is just minutes from the Virginia Beach Oceanfront and boasts restaurants, small businesses and high-end stores. The improvements will open the road into an 8-lane highway, with 3 lanes accommodating bikes and two wide sidewalks on each side.
