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Southwest Virginia
The document discusses economic challenges facing Southwest Virginia and outlines plans to address them through leveraging the region's cultural assets. It notes the decline of major industries, outmigration of young people, and lack of tourism. The plan aims to create a coordinating entity to promote creative economy initiatives like Heartwood, develop high-speed internet, and brand Southwest Virginia as an authentic place to live and work. It lists partners involved and goals to increase the young educated population, attract businesses/visitors, and collect data on the economic benefits of these efforts.
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Southwest Virginia
- 3. Economic Issues InSouthwest Virginia • Substantial decline of major economic sectors • Outmigration of college educated population 25 to 35 • Lack of tourism capitalizing on wealth cultural and natural assets • Duplicative, competitive and ineffective projects and initiatives • The regions image not coherent; lack of awareness within and outside region of its identity as a geographic place and unique culture
- 4. Economic Trends inSouthwest Virginia U.S. Department of Commerce Bureau of Economic Analysis
- 5. Virginia Economic Drivers U.S.Department of Commerce Bureau of Economic Analysis
- 7. Plan of Action •Initiatives using regions cultural, natural, & human assets for economic & community benefit. • Coordinating entity created by General Assembly to promote efficient, effective investments in creative economy initiatives. – SWVA CULTURAL HERITAGE FOUNDATION
- 8. Plan of Actioncontinued…. • Development of Showplace for region’s craft, music, food & culture. - HEARTWOOD • Quality of Life emphasis & High Speed Telecommunications to attract entrepreneurs & “anyplace” businesses. • Brand “SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA” as “Authentic, Distinctive, Alive” a desirable place to visit, live & start a business.
- 9. Overall Outcome • Increasepercentage of college educated populations 25-35 years old
- 10. 1. Attract &develop high-tech businesses & high-end entrepreneurs through our unique quality of life 2. Promote Southwest Virginia as a superior place to live for: • Relocatees • Retirees • College educated returnees 3. Attract visitors/tourists through our vibrant cultural heritage, unique stories, and natural assets Our ObjectivesOur Objectives
- 12. Partners • Music – BlueRidge Music Center, Birthplace of Country Music Alliance, The Carter Family Fold, Country Cabin, Ralph Stanley Museum, Floyd Country Store, County Records, Galax Old Fiddler’s Convention, Blue Ridge Institute; Heartwood: Southwest Virginia’s Artisan Gateway • Arts/Cultural – National Council for Traditional Arts, Virginia Foundation for the Humanities • Tourism – Virginia Tourism Corporation, Blue Ridge Travel Association, Heart of Appalachia Tourism Authority • Government Counties: Bland, Buchanan, Carroll, Dickenson, Floyd, Franklin, Giles, Grayson, Lee, Montgomery, Patrick, Pulaski, Russell, Scott, Smyth, Tazewell, Washington, Wise, and Wythe Cities: Bristol, Galax, and Norton Local Development Districts: LENOWISCO, Cumberland Plateau, Mount Rogers, New River Valley, West Piedmont State and Federal Agencies: Department of Housing and Community Development, Appalachian Regional Commission, United States Department of Agriculture-Rural Development, Coalfield Economic Development Authority, Virginia Tobacco Indemnification and Community Revitalization Commission, and Virginia Department of Transportation
- 13. Nine Major Venues • Birthplaceof Country Music Blue Ridge Institute & Museum Blue Ridge Music Center Carter Family Fold Country Cabin Floyd Country Store and County Sales Heartwood: Southwest Virginia’s Artisan Gateway Ralph Stanley Museum Rex Theater & Galax Old Fiddlers Convention
- 14. 60 Affiliated Venues& Festivals Jams Festivals Concerts Museums Live Radio Outdoor Drama
- 15. How do yousay The Crooked Road in German?
- 16. ‘Round the Mountainhas over 550 artisans, craft venues, and agritourism businesses included in the network. Heartwood: Southwest Virginia’s Artisan Gateway: Current number of Juried ‘Round the Mountain members – 382
- 17. RTM has atotal of 15 artisan trails, covering all 19 counties and 4 cities in Southwest Virginia. Approximately 200 businesses are part of the Artisan Trail Network.
- 19. •Heartwood serves asa focal point and portal to all heritage tourism efforts in SWVA. •The Crooked Road music store, artisan displays, regional food restaurant, coffee & wine bistro, trip planning services. •Connects visitors to regional artisan studios, music venues, craft trails, outdoor recreation and more throughout the region. Heartwood: Southwest Virginia’s Artisan Gateway
- 20.
- 21. Rural Business Accelerator ChallengeGrant “Appalachian Spring” Appalachian Regional Commission U.S. Economic Development Administration USDA-Rural Development V.A. Tobacco Indemnification Commission
- 23. Large & DiverseGroup of PartnersLarge & Diverse Group of Partners State and Federal Entities and Departments: •Appalachian Regional Commission •U.S. Economic Development Administration •U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development •Planning District Commissions (PDCs) •Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) •Virginia Tourism Corporation •Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries •Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) •Virginia Department of Forestry •United States Forest Service •National Park Service •Virginia State Parks Financing/Development Groups: •Virginia Community Capital (VCC) •People Inc. Other Partner Organizations •The Nature Conservancy •Appalachian Trail Conservancy •National Committee for the New River •Upper Tennessee River Roundtable •Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation •Southwest Regional Recreation Authority •Barter Theatre •Daniel Boone Wilderness Trail •Clinch River Valley Initiative
- 24. Appalachian Spring Goals •Brand Southwest Virginia as a national outdoor recreation destination. • Develop an outdoor recreation industry in Southwest Virginia.
- 25. Appalachian Spring Objectives Aggregate anchor areas and other outdoor recreation assets for cross promotion and branding purposes. Develop economic development infrastructure and destinations related to natural assets.
- 26. Connect outdoorrecreation assets to nearby communities. Assist entrepreneurs and appropriate businesses in securing financing. Appalachian Spring Objectives
- 27. Appalachian Spring Objectives Collecting and analyzing benefits of the creative economy efforts in Southwest Virginia. New Businesses Jobs Local Tax Revenues In migration of young adults
- 28. Transforming our downtownsinto centers of commerce, culture, and activity.
- 30. Through the LookingGlass Downtown RevitalizationDowntown Revitalization
- 31. Community Rediscovery Downtown RevitalizationDowntownRevitalization
- 32. Anchoring the Culture DowntownRevitalizationDowntown Revitalization
- 33. Economic Trends inSouthwest Virginia Virginia Tourism Corporation
- 34. Meals and LodgingTax Revenue
- 35. Galax Meals andLodging Tax Revenue
- 36. Dickenson County Mealsand Lodging Tax Revenue
- 37. Floyd Meals andLodging Tax Revenue
- 38. Quality of LifeHuman Capital • Change in 25-34 with Bach. Degree or Higher: • Galax – 339% increase • Floyd Co: – 129% increase • Dickenson Co: – 97% increase • Washington Co: – 48% increase
- 39. NanoSonic • “They likethe area. They like the New River; they know what an inner-tube is. They know where the Appalachian Trail is. They enjoy it, and they’re more likely to stay here….You don’t need to be at MIT, and you don’t need to be at Stanford. You can do it right here in Giles County.”— Richard Claus, President & Co-Founder.
- 40.