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By Jaedda Armstrong
VIRGINIA BEACH
Tourists traveling along the Eastern Shore via the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel may soon be able to gauge what's happening in South Hampton Roads before reaching Virginia Beach.
If approved, the Virginia Beach Satellite Welcome Center will open in June at Sea Gull Island. The island is the southernmost of the bridge-tunnel's four man-made islands, three and a half miles from Virginia Beach. It's already home to a restaurant, gift shop and fishing pier.
Tom Anderson, the bridge-tunnel's deputy director, said the new center may debut along with Sea Gull Island's newly renovated facility. The facility, which has been closed for renovations since November, will feature waterside dining and floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook the Chesapeake Bay.
Jim Ricketts, the director of the Virginia Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau, said the proposed center will provide maps of Hampton Roads, brochures about local businesses and attractions, and staff members to answer inquiries. A touch-screen kiosk for browsing the visitors bureau's Web site is also proposed, he added.
The nearly $60,000 start up cost, which includes staffing and maintenance, Ricketts said, will come out of an existing visitor center personnel budget. He said current workers from the main visitor center near the Oceanfront will staff the new center.
The project does not need City Council approval, but members received a letter discussing the welcome center.
According to the Web site for the bridge-tunnel, more than 100 million commercial and passenger vehicles have crossed since it opened in 1964. The bridge-tunnel is the only direct link between Virginia's Eastern Shore and South Hampton Roads.
"We're very excited," Ricketts said.
Currently, the northbound side of the bridge-tunnel has a visitor center that caters to visitors to the Eastern Shore.
For now, Ricketts awaits word from the city manager about the next step in the process. The idea is to hook motorists traveling to southern states with the welcome center. They may be attracted to the region and hopefully make an unplanned visit instead of just driving through, he said.
Jaedda Armstrong, (757) 222-5110, jaedda.armstrong@pilotonline.com
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hmm
People don't drive on by because of a lack of information, they drive on by because they don't want to vacation in a concrete jungle. VAB doesn't have anything for a family to do but dodge drunks and thugs and hope their cars aren't towed while they are out having dinner.
I agree about the towing,
I agree about the towing, but what about Flipper McCoys? They have pinball machines.
Has anyone on here EVER stopped at the tourist information center to get brochures on the state? I'm not talking about using the restrooms.
Actually, I have. But it's
Actually, I have. But it's mainly the tourists from out of the area that are doing it. This is actually a great partnership between the CBBT and VB. Remember that a lot of the folks coming through that tunnel aren't destined for our area. They're heading further south. Maybe with this, you can hook a few of them to spend some time and money here.
hmmmm
Not sure where you live 2cents but I hope its not in VB. If it is please move. No one's forcing you to live in VB or this area. VB's one of the nicest places in this country to live if you take into account the cost of living, quality of the school system and access to things to do. You just have to look for positives instead of always looking for the negatives. I have no idea why so many people that say they hate VB live here. For god sake's go somewhere else!
Gov't never gets smaller, it
Gov't never gets smaller, it only expands.
$60,000 for a kiosk to get to the website, that many people can already hit from their cell phones (well, the passengers can.)
Give the taxpayers their money back if you don't need it.
The CBBT is run on toll
The CBBT is run on toll money, not tax money.
This is NOT a CBBT project or operation.
This is NOT a CBBT project or operation. The taxpayers of Virginia Beach are paying the bill.
The article above said the
The article above said the money yadda yadda tourism yadda Virginia Beach convention center something. I checked before I posted to avoid getting pwned by other posters.