January 2024

Under Construction: The VGR Team and Local ED Partners toured Dominion Energy’s High Voltage Lab and Technical Support building at the Locks Campus in Dinwiddie County

Friends of the Gateway Region,



Hello 2024! As we begin a new year focused on uniting our region for economic prosperity, I see incredible enthusiasm for what is ahead- from our own team, our local communities, and our business partners. This is where I see the potential for the the Gateway Region in 2024:

• Our pharmaceutical cluster in Petersburg is gaining momentum with fresh federal funding.
• The Crosspointe Logistics Center in Prince George County will welcome the Triple Diamond Glass manufacturer and hundreds of new employees.
• The Sussex Megasite is getting noticed by our state and federal partners. Our team recently gave a site tour to staff from Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan’s office.
• Dinwiddie County will celebrate the opening of the new Dominion Energy High Voltage Lab that is under construction this year (see photo above).
• Our local market development initiative is still underway in all our communities. Two of the key local market development consultants visited the region in December touring each locality and offering insights.



If you are already an investor, thank you! We have some exciting Business Council events planned for 2024. We will be announcing the date of our popular Annual Meeting soon. If you are not yet an investor, please reach out to us and we can arrange a meeting. I wish each of you a happy and healthy new year. 

Dinwiddie County and DroneUp Gain Attention from VEDP and VEDA

We spent a great day in December at Richard Bland College with our regional partners as RBC hosted a DroneUp demo for Virginia Economic Development Partnership. The visit followed upon the news that the Dinwiddie-DroneUp collaboration was named one of the Top 10 Economic Development Deals of 2023 by the Virginia Economic Developers Association.

VGR was part of the team that successfully brought DroneUp's testing, training, and R&D center for drone operators to Dinwiddie County at RBC in 2022. DroneUp's mission is to make drone services good for everyone and to be the most open and flexible flight services partner in the industry.

Congratulations to Davis Travel Centers, Sussex County, and the Sussex County Chamber of Commerce! A ribbon cutting was held last month to celebrate the remodeled Starbucks in Stony Creek. This good news is the result of the Davis Travel Center being a signature retail operation in our region. It blends the world-renowned Starbucks experience with the convenience of a travel hub.

Save the Date for VGR's Annual Meeting

Wednesday, March 27th, 2024

5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Petersburg Public Library

Invitation to Follow

The VGR Holiday Open House Welcomed Friends from Around the Region

on December 14th

Thank You Investors!

As a 501-c3 nonprofit organization, VGR only operates through public and private investments.

Thanks to the following Executive Council investors who helped make 2023 a successful year!

More News Headlines from December

• They Took a Job Never Existing Before- Building Medicine
• How this Virginia Mattress-Maker Recovered from Fire 9 Months Later
• Brightpoint Community College official elevates to its presidency early next year
• Petersburg: Walnut Hill Historic District added to National Register of Historic Places