HAMPTON, Va. — Investing in youth and sports tourism are two of the ways Hampton leaders plan to move the community forward.
Thursday, the City of Hampton hosted its first in-person State of the City since the COVID-19 pandemic began nearly three years ago.
Mayor Donnie Tuck shared remarks in front of several hundred people inside the Hampton Roads Convention Center in Hampton. The theme of this year’s address was “Make a Splash.”
Fittingly, city leaders celebrated the awaited opening of the Hampton Virginia Aquaplex. The state-of-the-art facility is the only one of its kind in the region. It’s projected to generate nearly $4 million for the region through the 2023 USA Artistic Swimming Junior Olympic Championship, alone.
“We’re proud because there are quite a few projects going on, and it shows there are quite a few investments in Hampton,” said Tuck.
He also highlighted other projects aimed at boosting the area’s sports tourism industry. Those included improvements to the War Memorial Stadium and Darling Stadium, and a new professional lacrosse team, the Hampton Hammerheads, set to begin play at the Hampton Coliseum in January.
City officials hope those developments, along with the Boo Williams Sportsplex, will attract new audiences and opportunities to the area.
But Tuck said the developments aren’t just about boosting the economy but giving more opportunities for young people.
“I think it was two weekends ago where we had a 14-year-old that was killed, as well as an 18-year-old that was killed and a 16-year-old that was shot. It’s so concerning,” he said.
Since the pandemic, violence has gone up across Hampton Roads, including youth violence. Though Tuck claimed gun crimes in Hampton are down in the city so far year-to-year, he called violence, especially involving youth, “unacceptable.” He said the city is pouring millions into programs and nonprofits geared toward helping young people in the community.
Tuck told 13News Now he plans to discuss the matter during a meeting with other Hampton Roads leaders on Monday. He said communities must work together to find regional solutions to a regional problem.
“It’s a holistic approach. It's not just the city. It’s not just the localities,” he said. “It’s also individuals who realize they hurt our city and they want to help heal our city.”
The ceremony lauded efforts and partnerships with Hampton City Schools. Hampton leaders recognized the school division for having the highest on-time graduation rate in division history. All second-grade HCS students will receive free swim lessons at the Aquaplex, said city officials.
When it comes to creating jobs in Hampton, there are multiple redevelopment projects underway across the city.
"We are just pleased that we have interest in residential income and commercial development in our city and I think that’s good for the growth of our city,” said Vice Mayor Jimmy Gray.
However, there are challenges.
Hampton is up to 96% developed, which means most projects are going to be redevelopment and outside investors, said Tuck.
Hampton is also looking to partner with other nearby localities to spur growth in the city.
He said that even if the jobs are created in outlying areas, like Suffolk, the goal is to attract people to live and play in Hampton.
“We will do our best to create jobs in Hampton, but we recognize that the jobs won’t all necessarily be in Hampton. We will make sure we have the workforce that’s trained and capable of competing for those jobs,” said Tuck.