Laskin Road Gateway - public testimony

Statement by Hank Boyd, Chairman
Virginia Beach Vision Resort Development Task Force
at
Laskin Road Gateway Project Public Meeting
June 10, 2010

Good evening.  I am Hank Boyd and serve as the chairman of the Virginia Beach Vision Resort Development Task Force.  Over the past 18 to 24 months, our organization has been following the resort development plans and appreciates that the Laskin Road Gateway Project is an essential element of the  overall resort development and improvement plan. 

As communicated to the Virginia Beach City Council last fall, the Virginia Beach Business Roundtable, of which Virginia Beach Vision has been an active participant, encouraged the city to complete infrastructure upgrades to support the redevelopment of the 31st Street-Laskin Road Gateway corridor.  The analysis has shown that this public-private venture will enhance the economic prosperity of the city, broaden the tax base and facilitate a village style gateway to the oceanfront.  

With the resort area being the biggest economic engine in Virginia Beach, second only to the Navy, we must ensure it remains vibrant to attract tourists and serve residents alike.  The Laskin Road Gateway will provide a pedestrian friendly corridor that will be home to restaurants, shops, outdoor cafes, condominiums and apartments.  It will set the tone for future redevelopment of the resort area and ensure that Virginia Beach's greatest asset, the oceanfront area, continues to thrive.

For these reasons, we encourage the continued infrastructure development of the Laskin Road Gateway in as expeditious a manner as possible.