The Virginian-Pilot
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Host the world's largest water-gun fight? Designate a regional mascot?
About 30 people brainstormed ideas at WHRO last week about how to get the word out nationally and internationally about the region. LEAD Hampton Roads, a division of the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce, is looking for 10 ideas to put into action by May.
Maybe someone could get the producers of the TV show "NCIS," often set in Norfolk, to insert a few Hampton Roads references, said Kelly Williams, a spokeswoman for the Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority.
Kate Hofheimer Wilson, major gifts officer for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, proposed a new regional tagline: "Hampton Roads - where the water meets home."
Among the other ideas:
-- Encourage local companies to mention Hampton Roads on their stationery and websites.
-- Hold a maritime festival that would alternate among local cities.
-- Rename Interstate 64 "Hampton Road."
-- Rename The Virginian-Pilot The Hampton Roads Pilot.
-- Market a regional food like the Philly cheesesteak.
-- Get people to wave Hampton Roads signs on the "Today" show.
LEAD Hampton Roads plans two more sessions. The next will be at 5:30 p.m. Nov. 30 at Bensi restaurant in the Peninsula Town Center at 5101 Kilgore Ave., Hampton, and the other is at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 8 at Still Worldly Eclectic Tapas, 450 Court St., Portsmouth. To register, call (757) 664-2516 or e-mail swilson@hrccva.com.
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Maybe they should try and
Maybe they should try and make this place more livable for the people that reside here first, this is by far not the worst area but take a look next time your out driving. The streets are absolutely covered in litter, not just a little but A LOT, the medians are an eyesore because they have not been cut in who knows when. Start handing some community service instead of get out of jail free cards and clean the place up. Stop aiming so high, we will never be a San Fransisco or a New York, and yet we name out streets after them? And I'm wondering if and how much those people were paid to come up with those ideas? Fix the roads, the bridges etc before you think about going international. Maybe we should concentrate on being regional first?
Mission for Schooner Virginia
Here is my idea. Take the Schooner Virginia, an historic 123' wooden tallship... that is currently doing nothing at the moment and send it on a world tour. All kinds of promotions and events can be spun off en route. Take a cameraman along to film the journey and create programming along the way.Media coverage in every port......"SCHOONER VIRGINIA FROM THE PORT OF HAMPTON ROADS ARRIVED TODAY in LONDON"..... Can do charity work one port.....education stuff in another port...business promotion in another. The range of PR events that could be done with this ship are only limited by our own creativity. Cost to do this would not be much compaired to the buzz it can generate. The Schooner Virginia is capable of reaching just about any port in the world in grand style. Virginia could embark on a 40 city 18 month world tour for example.
Rick Boesch
Founder
Schooner Virginia Project
Great idea!
With OpSail 2012 coming on quickly... I say this idea should be seriously considered sooner rather than later. This region is all about the water... and we can complain, moan, and groan about it... or embrace it.
I would work on the tag: "The Schooner Virginia from the Port of Hampton Roads"... but I am sure we have great wordsmiths out there that can make it happen.
Excellent idea!
Georgie Marquez
Andre Marquez Architects
Great idea!
With OpSail 2012 coming on quickly... I say this idea should be seriously considered sooner rather than later. This region is all about the water... and we can complain, moan, and groan about it... or embrace it.
I would work on the tag: "The Schooner Virginia from the Port of Hampton Roads"... but I am sure we have great wordsmiths out there that can make it happen.
Excellent idea!
Georgie Marquez
Andre Marquez Architects
Schooner VA
any idea what that would cost, Rick?
ship operation would be apx.
ship operation would be apx. $750,000 a year...add the cost of events ...film crew...uplinks and all the marketing and support that is done to make a first rate promotional tour on top. You could get lots of corporate support and va tourism corp support as well. If you are serious about reaching a global audience this is one idea that can leverage some $$...and excite regional folks and connect them to the event as well....would get lots of regional, national AND international press. Need to start planning a year in advance for Europe 1.5 years out for asia and far east as a rule of thumb for maximum impact.
Forgot to mention...
That it is 10,000-20,000 a WEEKEND plus hundreds of busses leaving this place goin to destinations that do offer fine wine, fine dining, shows and rooms ....here..you have the dirty beaches and speakeasy's where drunks roam ...
Virginia is for Lo"s"ers...Not Lo"v'ers...until we get some adult entertainment in the likes of the surrounding states...Fine dining, wine and shows...and gambling is the #1 past time of adults now adays...and that is why they leave in droves for weekends at a time..
I hate to state the obvious, but...
...why do you live here if you hate it so much?
As for Fortune 500s: we have five of them here, four are HQs (Amerigroup, Dollar Tree, Norfolk Southern, Smithfield Foods), one is the largest private employer in the entire state (Northrop Grumman).
As for sports: no, we don't have a major league, but we do have several minors, and the UFL is coming to the region. There are other large metros without major leagues that focus their sports love on their college or university teams.
Look at your glass as half-full, not empty, and focus on doing something positive for the place you live. You - and the rest of us - will be better for it.
Name Calling
Maybe we should start by changing the name Norfolk Naval Shipyard to Hampton Roads Naval Shipyard. The shipyard is actually located in the city of Portsmouth not Norfolk and the game show Jeopardy recently asked the question on its program as to its location in the state and Norfolk was given as the answer. Even though none of the contestants got it right the answer was still wrong. Now thats a true sign showing how things are screwed here already with the name calling.
How absolutely ridiculous can this state get??
I mean, a shout out? Waving placards? Changing names ?Is that all these narrow minded people come up with? If Virginia -Hampton Roads wants to get on the map of becoming a destination....make it a destination. Instead of allowing 10,000-20,000 people plus hundreds of busloads leave to go to other sestinations such as Dover Delaware, Harrington Delaware, Atlantic City...bring out the big guns and make people come HERE instead of us leaving as fast as our cars can move. Talk about the most ridiculous of ideas...we will NEVER be a destination that people choose to come to because we have absolutely nothing to offer in the way other good cities do.No night life to offer unless you go to the speakeasy's...on the dirty beaches..