​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​What is the Entertainment District and where is it?

Why do we want to be a year-round destination?

​Tourism is actually what helps pay for the quality of life we enjoy. It is one of the city’s major economic drivers — generating nearly $1.49 billion in expenditures and almost $59.5 million in local taxes in 2015 alone.

Among all Hampton Roads cities, Virginia Beach has the lowest real estate and personal property tax rates, yet the best public amenities and services. Consider the fact that tourists come here, spend money, and then they leave. That means the hotel taxes, restaurant taxes and amusement taxes that they generate when they stay at our hotels, dine in our restaurants and visit our movie theaters are contributing funding for our roads, public safety, schools, etc. But, they don't actually utilize any of those things.

When tourists come to Virginia Beach and generate tax revenue, that's less money that the City has to collect from its residents. In fact, tourism saves about 10 cents on the real estate tax rate. Your real estate taxes and personal property taxes (the two primary sources of the city's income) are lower than any other city in Hampton Roads, primarily because of tourism revenue. And, the reason the City proposes projects like the Dome Site, the Sports Center and the Pier Project is to leverage the asset we have in our beach front and the tourists that come to enjoy it to its highest earning potential. 

Since most tourism revenue comes during the peak summer season, building more of a year-round destination would bring more activity to the city during the colder months (and hence, more business). This brings in more tax revenue from outside our city and provide​s money to support city services. Further, tourism projects are not funded using any of taxes you pay on your home or vehicle — instead, they are largely funded by tourists. Here's an explanation of how it works​. 

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