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UH, WE'RE GONNA CALL THE JULY 6TH FRONT ROYAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY MEETING TO ORDER, UH, HILLARY, CAN WE HAVE A ROLL CALL VAC HERE.I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES SO THAT WE CAN DISCUSS THEM.
SO NOW ANY DISCUSSION ABOUT THE MINUTES, GIVE YOU A MINUTE TO THINK ABOUT IT.
SO, ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE MINUTES AS THEY WERE GIVEN TO US.
UH, LIZ, YOU HAVE A REPORT FROM RETAIL STRATEGIES, IT LOOKS LIKE I DO.
SO IN FRONT OF YOU, WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE QUARTERLY REPORT LAST WEEK.
UM, OR LAST WEEK? LAST MEETING.
UM, SO THIS IS THE PRINTED COPY OF THAT.
UM, I KNOW WE WENT OVER IT, BUT NOW YOU'VE GOT A HARD COPY.
THE OTHER SHEET THAT'S IN FRONT OF YOU IS THE NOTES I JUST GOT, UH, FRIDAY, UM, FROM THEIR VEGAS MEETINGS.
SO, UM, THE RETAIL STRATEGY, REMEMBER THE VEGAS MEETINGS IS, IT WAS AT THE END OF MAY, I BELIEVE.
UM, SO THIS WAS KIND OF OVERALL NOTES.
AND THEN ON THE BACK OF THIS SHEET, THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT SOME OF THE OTHER BRANDS THAT THESE WERE THE PRIMARY CONCEPTS THAT THEY FELT WERE A LITTLE HOTTER, SO THEY WANTED TO GIVE US AN UPDATE ON THAT.
UM, NOTHING THAT WAS TERRIBLY SURPRISING, WHICH IS A GOOD THING.
I THINK IT SOUNDS LIKE THINGS ARE STILL, UM, IN A GOOD PLACE.
UH, THIS, THE NATIONAL SMOOTHIE CONCEPT, THAT WAS A NEW ONE TO ME, BUT I'M INTRIGUED BY WHAT THAT MEANS.
UM, THE NATIONAL SPORTING GOODS STORE, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT WITH THEM BEFORE.
THEY FEEL LIKE OUR COMMUNITY IS PRIMED FOR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
UM, AND THE NATIONAL HAIR SALON FRANCHISE.
SO THAT'S BEEN SOMETHING THAT, THERE'S ONE THAT HAS CIRCLED OUR COMMUNITY FOR QUITE SOME TIME, BUT BECAUSE OF THE RESTRICTIONS IN THE PLAZAS THAT ALREADY HAVE HAIR SALON CONCEPTS, UM, THERE'S NOWHERE FOR THEM TO GO AT THE MOMENT.
UH, BUT I, THEY DID SHARE WITH ME THAT THEY ARE KEEPING IN THAT THEY'VE INTRODUCED THEMSELVES TO THE NEW OWNERS OF THE RURAL KING PLAZA, OR I GUESS THAT THAT'S COMING.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S DONE OR NOT.
UM, THE NEW OWNERS OF THAT, WELL, I THINK RURAL KING ITSELF IS PURCHASING THAT OR HAS ALREADY PURCHASED THAT WHOLE PLAZA.
UM, THAT'S, I THINK THAT'S EXCITING.
SO THEY WERE JUST KEEPING IN CONTACT WITH THEIR LEASING AGENT FOLKS TO ENSURE THAT IF SOMETHING POPPED OPEN THAT THEY WOULD BE AWARE.
UM, SO NOTHING, NOTHING CRAZY.
I DID TALK TO THEM ABOUT, I KNOW YOU ALL HAVE SEEN AND HEARD THE RUMORS ABOUT PLANET FITNESS.
OBVIOUSLY THERE ARE BIG SIGNS MM-HMM
UM, THAT WAS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE RECRUITED FOR, BUT THEY DID HAVE AN INITIAL MEETING WITH PLANET FITNESS, UM, A WHILE BACK AND INTRODUCED FRONT ROYAL AS A CONCEPT.
AND THEN WE SHARED WITH THEM IN ONE OF OUR FOLLOW UPS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF, OF GYM OPPORTUNITIES HERE.
WE, WE DIDN'T WANT THEM NECESSARILY FOCUSED ON THAT.
UM, AND SO THEY DIDN'T, THEY BACKED OFF OF IT COMPLETELY MM-HMM
AND, WELL, WE HAD ALREADY MADE IT ATTRACTIVE, SO HERE THEY ARE.
SO, WELL, WE'RE, UH, I'M, I SEE POSITIVE FEEDBACK ON SOCIAL MEDIA FOR THE MOST PART ON THAT ONE.
SO, I MEAN, THAT'S A GOOD THING, I THINK.
BUT YEAH, SO I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING EARTH SHATTERING, BUT THINGS ARE STILL SHIFTING.
UM, THEY DID HAVE YET ANOTHER CONVERSATION WITH TWO OF THE LARGE HOTEL FLAGS.
UM, I'M NOT SURE THAT I'M ALLOWED TO SHARE WHO THOSE ARE AT THE MOMENT.
UM, BUT THEY'RE BOTH INTERESTED AND I WOULD SAY HIGHLY MOTIVATED, UM, TO FIND A, A HOLE IN OUR COMMUNITY OR A PLACE IN OUR COMMUNITY FOR A LODGING
[00:05:01]
OPTION.UM, BOTH OF THOSE LARGE NATIONAL FIVE.
SO THEY FELT POSITIVE ABOUT THAT TOO.
AND, UH, REMIND ME, DOES ANYBODY, WHAT'S, WHAT'S BEEN APPROVED AND NOT BUILT OUT ON THE CORRIDOR? IS THERE, THERE WAS ONE NEXT TO THE MARRIOTT.
AND THEN OUT BY THE DOUBLE TREE.
I THINK THAT'S, I THINK THAT'S AN ACCURATE STATEMENT.
I BELIEVE IT'S, THAT'S BOTH OF THE LOCATIONS.
UM, I DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT THOSE.
UM, I BELIEVE THEY'VE BOTH BEEN A, HMM.
YEAH, I THINK, I THINK THAT THEY'RE MOVING FORWARD ON BOTH OF THOSE, BUT I KNOW THE ONE'S BEEN AROUND A LITTLE LONGER THAN THE OTHER.
JOE, JOE MAY BE ABLE TO PROVIDE OTHER INSIGHT ON THAT.
BUT, SO THE ONE NEXT TO THE MARRIOTT TOWN PLACE SUITES, BOTH OF 'EM AS FAR I'M MOST AWARE, APPROVED THE SITE PLAN HAS BEEN OUTSTANDING FOR SOME TIME.
I THINK IT WAS RESULTING AROUND THEY HAVE TO DEVELOP THE ROAD.
AND SO THAT ONE, AS FAR AS I'M AWARE, HAS KIND OF BEEN QUIET.
THE OTHER ONE NEXT TO THE DOUBLE TREE IS WE HAVE, THE TOWN HAS APPROVED THE EASEMENTS FOR THE WATER, UH, INFRASTRUCTURE.
UM, I'M GUESSING AT THIS POINT IT MIGHT BE GOING THROUGH SITE PLAN DEVELOPMENT THROUGH THE COUNTY, BUT WE CAN ASK AND SEE WHERE THEY ARE WITH ANY UPDATES ON THAT.
BUT THAT ONE DOES SEEM TO BE PROGRESSING IN THE CURRENT TIME.
THE ONE ON CAROLINE COURT CLOSEST TO THE PLACE SUITES, THAT'S BEEN QUIET FOR YEARS FOR A WHILE.
AND OUR AGREEMENT WOULD BE THAT WE PROVIDE WATER FOR THOSE HOTELS.
IS DO WE ONLY RECEIVE REVENUE FROM THE WATER OR DO WE RECEIVE A, UM, A UH, TAX AS WELL? UH, FROM THE HOTEL TAX PILOT FEE.
SO WE GET PAYMENT IN LIEU OF, BUT WE ALSO GET, YOU KNOW, OUR WATER REVENUE AS IF WE WOULD, BUT THEN WE HAVE PILOT AGREEMENT.
AND THE TWO ARE MAYBE WANNA BE IN TOWN.
THE ONES THAT, UH, THAT RETAIL STRATEGIES ARE TALKING TO.
THEY'D ACTUALLY BE, THEY'D LIKE TO BE AS CLOSE TO DOWNTOWN AS POSSIBLE.
CHALLENGES WERE RUN OUT OF GREEN SPACE TO DO THAT.
THAT IT IS PROBABLY GONNA REQUIRE SOME REDEVELOPMENT OF PLACES.
WHICH WE KNEW THAT WE KNEW THAT THAT WAS GONNA BE A THING.
UNFORTUNATELY THOSE THINGS TEND TO TAKE A LITTLE LONGER, BUT THEY ARE HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
ANY, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS GUYS? YEAH, I DON'T THINK IT IS OUR WORK KIND OF MAYBE SIMILAR TO PLANET FITNESS, BUT THERE'S A RUMOR THAT THERE WAS A SECOND COFFEE PLACE COMING OVER BY JOHN MARSHALL.
I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE SAW THAT.
DOES ANYONE KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THAT? I ASKED THE MANAGER YESTERDAY, 'CAUSE I HAD A KFC AND SHE SAID BY THE END OF THE YEAR THEY'LL SWITCH FROM A KFC THAT THE OWNER, ONE OWNER HAD PASSED AWAY.
THE FAMILY WAS BASICALLY JUST GETTING OUT OF THE BUSINESS AND SHE SAID IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BECOME A COFFEE PLACE.
STAFF OF THE KFC HAS BEEN PRETTY OPEN ABOUT MM-HMM
THEY OBVIOUSLY THEY COMMUNICATED TO THEM.
AND THAT WAS, UH, THAT WAS NOT, THAT WAS NOT A YEAH, I HEARD THAT AS WELL.
IT'S AN INTERESTING CONCEPT RIGHT BESIDE STARBUCKS, BUT HAVING A COFFEE SHOP RIGHT NEXT TO COFFEE SHOP, THAT IS ACTUALLY THEIR PREFERENCE.
LIKE, IF YOU GO, SO THE BRAND YOU'RE REFERRING TO IS SEVEN BREW.
UM, THERE ARE TWO LOCATIONS IN HARRISONBURG.
THERE'S THE SEVEN BREW A CHILI'S, AND THEN THE STARBUCKS.
UM, WHEN YOU GO TO ONE IN BLACKSBURG, THEY'RE LIKE THE PARKING LOT TOUCH.
IT'S, IT'S THEIR, THAT'S THEIR THING.
SEEMS A LITTLE STRANGE, BUT THAT'S THEIR THING.
LIKE BURGER KING'S ACROSS FROM MCDONALD'S, BURGER KING WAS FOLLOW MCDONALD'S.
YOU SEE IN THE CITY, LIKE CHICK-FIL-A AND POPEYE'S, LIKE ACROSS THE STREET FROM EACH OTHER, YOU KNOW, SO.
MAYBE IT'S THE, MAYBE THERE'S A, THERE'S SOMETHING TO IT.
I DON'T HAVE A ROYAL FARMS ON MY SIDE OF TOWN.
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IS THERE ANY SPECIFIC REASON THE HOTELS WEREN'T INCLUDED ON THE, THE REPORT? UM, I DON'T THINK THERE WAS A SPECIFIC REASON FOR THAT.UM, I KNOW ON THE BACK OF THE ONE WITH THE GREEN BAR AT THE TOP, I DO KNOW THAT THEY DID LIST THAT THEY TALKED TO FIVE DIFFERENT NATIONAL HOTEL CHAINS.
I THINK THEY HAD MENTIONED AT SOME POINT THAT THERE, IT WAS EITHER LIKE CATEGORICALLY THERE WEREN'T REALLY HOTELS AT THIS EVENT OR THAT THEIR HOTEL CONTACTS WEREN'T AT THIS EVENT.
I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY, IN TERMS OF VEGAS FOR VEGAS, YES.
I THINK THAT'S MORE THE RETAIL, LESS OF THE LODGING SPACE.
DO YOU HAVE ANY NEW BUSINESS? I GUESS WE JUST TALKED ABOUT ONE NEW BUSINESS.
THERE'S A RUMOR AND CONFIRMED AND THE PLANET FITNESS HAS PUT SIGNS UP.
SO I THOUGHT WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT.
WHERE IS THAT? I HAVEN'T SEEN THAT.
SO THEY GOING IN THE OLD, UH, OLD CVS CVS.
THAT WOULD BE THE CHEAPEST MEMBERSHIP IN TOWN.
THERE'S ONE IN WINCHESTER, BUT THAT'S THE CLOSEST ONE TO US, I BELIEVE.
ANY, ANYBODY HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD IN THAT CATEGORY? HAS ANYBODY BEEN TO THE, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THE NEW COFFEE SHOP ON JOHN MARSHALL HIGHWAY? THERE'S ANOTHER ONE,
IT'S RIGHT NEXT TO THE, WHERE WERT USED TO BE.
IT'S PROBABLY EIGHT, 10 WEEKS AGO MAYBE.
UM, THEY'RE A SECOND LOCATION.
THEIR PRIMARY IS IN MOUNT JACKSON.
UM, SO THEY SEEMED VERY NICE AND EXCITED TO BE HERE.
BUT YEAH, I THINK IF THEY NEED A LITTLE MORE VISIBILITY THOUGH, BUT THEY'RE ON A GOOD TRAFFIC SPOT, SO THAT'S GREAT.
BUT THEY'RE IN THAT PLAZA, THE BLUE AND WHITE PLAZA, OR MEAN? THERE'S THE WERT.
YEAH, THERE'S THE WERT AND THEN THERE'S LIKE A UP BY ROYAL OAKS BOOKSHOP.
I THINK AS YOU'RE GOING INTO THE OLD UPS OH RIGHT.
THE DOG GROOMING PLACE? I THINK SO, YEAH.
IS THERE ANY INSIGHT ON THE FOOD TRUCK AREA THAT, DOES EACH ONE APPLY FOR A LICENSE, A BUSINESS LICENSE? OR ARE THEY COMING IN TALKING ABOUT ACROSS FROM WENDY'S? YEAH.
UM, 'CAUSE THERE'S NO CONSISTENT HOURS ON SOME OF 'EM.
LIKE TWO OF 'EM WERE OPEN THIS WEEKEND, BUT TWO OF 'EM WERE
THEY ARE ALL INDIVIDUAL BUSINESSES, SO THEY APPLY FOR A BUSINESS LICENSE.
I REALLY WANNA DO A FOOD TRUCK ALLEY SOMEWHERE.
I THINK IT, I MEAN, THERE WERE SO MANY PEOPLE OUT, YOU KNOW, AND I THINK, UH, OF THE FOUR TRUCKS THAT ARE THERE NOW, THE COFFEE WAS OPEN MM-HMM
AND ONE OTHER, I THINK THE ICE CREAM, UH, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU EVEN, I'M NOT SURE.
I, I DIDN'T, I SHOT BY, BUT I WAS JUST LIKE, SAW CARS THERE AND I WAS LIKE, WELL, IT'S NOT THE THING.
I NOTICED THAT NOT ALL OF 'EM WERE OPEN.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE HAVING INCONSISTENT HOURS OR WHAT.
I MEAN, A FOOD TRUCK PLACE YOU KIND OF WANT.
I ALSO SAW SEVERAL RESTAURANTS THIS WEEKEND WHO HAD TO CLOSE BECAUSE IT WAS SO HOT.
SO I WONDER IF SOME OF THOSE TRUCKS COULD NOT KEEP UP.
YOU KNOW, COULD VERY WELL BEEN.
I KNOW THE, UM, THE NEW MEXICAN TRUCK THAT'S THERE HAS BEEN VERY POPULAR.
HE WAS, EVERY TIME I COME BY, THAT LINE IS GONE.
IT WAS VERY, UH, IT WAS VERY HOT.
SOME OF OUR REGULAR BRICK AND MORTARS HAD TO CLOSE DOWN EARLY.
IT WAS JUST TOO HOT IN THE KITCHEN.
UH, I GUESS THAT WAS EXISTING BUSINESS, RIGHT?
UM, AS PART OF A GREATER TRANSPORTATION STUDY.
UM, I DON'T KNOW REALLY ANYTHING ELSE OTHER THAN IT EXISTS AND THAT THEY'RE WORKING ON IT.
BUT I DUNNO ANYTHING ABOUT TIMELINE UPDATES
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ARE, THEY'RE WORKING WITH THEIR, THE OLD STUDY THAT WAS DONE, I KNOW THEY HAVE IT FOR REFERENCE NEW AND A NEW ONE.I KNOW THEY HAVE IT FOR REFERENCE, BUT I BELIEVE THEY'RE DOING A NEW ONE ENTIRELY.
IT'S A COMPLETELY NEW STUDY WITH A NEW ORGANIZATION.
THE LAST ONE WAS DONE BY THE REGIONAL COMMISSION.
THE LAST 1 20 19 WAS DONE DUE TO REGIONAL COMMISSION WHERE THEY BUILT ON A PREVIOUS ONE THAT THE REGIONAL COMMISSION HAD DONE.
THEY HAVE THIS FOR REFERENCE, BUT THEY ARE LOOKING AT A FEW MORE THINGS THAN THAT ONE DID.
UM, BUT THIS IS WITH TIMMONS GROUP, UM, WHO'S DONE SOME OTHER STUFF FOR THE TOWN.
UM, AND THEY STARTED THEIR CONVERSATIONS WITH PLANNING AND ZONING IN THE LAST WEEK TO GET THAT POINT.
UM, SO WITH THE REVELATION THAT RURAL KING IS BUYING THAT SHOPPING CENTER, WOULD IT MAKE SENSE TO REACH OUT TO THEM ABOUT THE IMPROVEMENTS? THE, THE STREET THEY'VE BEEN INVOLVED FOR A WHILE NOW.
UM, WE HAD A MEETING LAST WEEK WITH 70%.
THEY, UH, ROYAL KING AND VDOT AND THE TOWN WERE HAVING DISCUSSIONS FOR WEEKS TO, TO REDEVELOP THAT EASTERN MOST ENTRANCE.
I THINK WE MIGHT TALK ABOUT THIS HERE LAST, BUT, SO THEY HAVE COME UP WITH A PLAN, UM, THAT WOULD NOT ELIMINATE THE LEFT TURN IN.
UM, THERE ARE SOME OTHER THINGS THAT HAVE COME UP WITH THE BIG VDOT GROUP.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE STILL WORKING ON IT.
UM, BUT ROYAL KING AND VDOT HAVE BEEN WORKING TOGETHER TO COME UP WITH A PLAN THERE, WHICH I BELIEVE THEY HAVE.
THEY'RE JUST STILL TWEAKING SOME THINGS IN THE WHOLE SECTION.
BUT THE CURRENT PLAN DOES NOT ELIMINATE THE LEFT TURNS INTO ROYAL KING.
IT ACTUALLY MAKES IT BETTER BY ADDING A TURN LANE INTO IT.
UM, IT WOULD REDUCE THE LEFT TURN OUT OF THAT EASTERN MOST ENTRANCE WHERE THERE'S NO TRAFFIC SIGNAL.
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU HAVE TO GIVE SOMEWHERE, I THINK, AND I THINK WE ALL AGREE THAT THAT WOULD AT LEAST YOU'D BE ABLE TO TURN LEFT END, THAT YOU'D HAVE TURNED RIGHT OUT.
BUT, UM, IT STILL IS MUCH BETTER AND MUCH SAFER THAN IT'S TO, WOULD IT INCLUDE A REAR EXIT TO ER ROAD? YEAH, I MEAN NOT, NOT TO, NOT TO BEAT THE DEAD HORSE.
OH, THE BRIDGE PRIVATE ENTITY ACROSS HAPPY CREEK.
I MEAN, IF RURAL KING COULD HELP FUND, YOU KNOW, THEY WOULD'VE TO FUND ALL OF IT BECAUSE IT'S PRIVATE TO ALL OF IT.
VDOT WOULDN'T TOUCH IT, IT'S PRIVATE AND IT WOULD BE EARLY PHASES.
VDOT SAID IT'D BE OVER $10 MILLION.
SO VDOT HASN'T EVEN LOOKED AT THAT IDEA.
UM, IT IS NOT, YOU KNOW, WHILE WE SEE THAT, THAT COULD RELIEVE SOME, THAT'S JUST NOT SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE EXPRESSED, UH, POSITION TO VDOT JUST BECAUSE OF THE EXPENSE AND THE LONG-TERM ONGOING MAINTENANCE THAT THE TOWN WOULD THEN HAVE TO TAKE ON IF WE WERE TO ACCEPT ANOTHER BRIDGE.
UM, THAT'S WHY WE'VE GONE BACK TO, UM, BDOT AND WE'VE MADE THOSE DIFFERENT IMPROVEMENTS ALONG SOUTH STREET FROM THE ORIGINAL ONE INTER PARCEL CONNECTIVITY TO THE REAR TO CHRYSLER ROAD.
UM, ISN'T THERE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE DEVELOPING SOME APARTMENTS BEHIND ROYAL KING.
MOST OF THE SITE PLAN DEVELOPMENTS ALREADY BEEN ONGOING.
THINGS WERE APPROVED AT THE COUNCIL BEFORE I WAS HERE.
I DON'T KNOW IF INTERAL CONNECTIVITY WAS REALLY ADDRESSED IN THAT, BUT IT, WE'VE GOT ITS OWN, IT IS GOT ITS OWN ISSUES OVER THERE.
SO IT SEEMS A SHAME THAT PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP, YOU KNOW, FOR THE NEW OWNER, I DON'T KNOW, WHATEVER I, YOU KNOW, DREAMING ABOUT JUST A MUCH BETTER SOLUTION FOR THAT SHOPPING CENTER.
WELL, AND, AND IT IS A FOUR WAY PARTNERSHIP.
I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW IF PARTNERSHIPS ARE CONSIDERED MORE THAN TWO, BUT I MEAN, YOU COULD HAVE THE DEVELOPER BEHIND RURAL KING.
YOU COULD HAVE RURAL KING, YOU COULD HAVE THE TOWN AND YOU COULD HAVE THE STATE ALL INVOLVED.
AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE $10 MILLION PROJECT'S, TWO AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS PLUS MAINTENANCE.
I MEAN, I KNOW IT'S NOT THAT SIMPLE, BUT SOMETHING THAT WOULD ADDRESS SO MANY CONCERNS.
IMAGINE THE AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC THAT WOULD TAKE OFF OF, YOU KNOW, LIGHTEN UP KAISER ROAD WOULD LIGHTEN UP SOUTH STREET DRAMATICALLY.
AND THEN IT WOULD ALSO IMPROVE THE VISIBILITY
[00:20:01]
OF THE LOTS LOCATED OVER IN THE, THE GATEWAY SHOPPING CENTER THERE BESIDE STARBUCKS.NOW YOU GOT, NOW YOU'VE GOT FORCED TRAFFIC IN FRONT OF THOSE SPOT PARCELS THERE.
SO ALL OF A SUDDEN ENTITIES THAT MIGHT WANT TO LOCATE ON REMOUNT ROAD ARE VERY ENTICED BY THE AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC.
UM, IT JUST, IT, IT SEEMS A SHAME THAT THERE'S NO AVENUE.
I MEAN, YOU'VE GOT FOUR POTENTIAL PARTNERS THAT COULD REALLY MAKE A DRAMATIC DIFFERENCE ON THEM GETTING ACROSS HAPPY WITH THAT.
UH, ANYTHING ELSE ON, UH, INFRASTRUCTURE? ALRIGHT.
HAS ANYBODY TALKED TO THE PROPERTY OWNER OF THE OLD CAR WASH ON SOUTH STREET THAT'S HAD ITS PROBLEMS? I KNOW YOU'RE SAYING FOR SALE SIGN UP.
I KNOW JIMMY FROM RETAIL STRATEGIES, WHO'S REACHED OUT TO TWICE AND DID NOT GET ANYWHERE.
I BELIEVE HE LIVES DOWN FORT NORTHERN VIRGINIA AREA.
THE OWNER, I BELIEVE THAT'S CORRECT.
I HAVE NOT INTERACTED WITH HIM.
UM, BUT I KNOW HE HAS REACHED OUT AND WE'RE, WE'VE BEEN IN OTHER CONVERSATIONS WITH THE OLD CAR WASH REGARDING THERE WAS SOME VANDALISM STUFF MM-HMM
UM, SO WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THAT OUT OUTSIDE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, BUT FOR OTHER REASONS TO OBVIOUSLY ADDRESS THAT PARTICULAR PROPERTY.
ACTUALLY GOTTA COME, BECOME A COMMERCIAL EYESORE NOW, YOU KNOW, SO YEAH.
PLANNING AND ZONING, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF OTHER DEPARTMENTS WORKING ON THAT FOR OTHER ISSUES NOW, SO.
AND THEN HOW ABOUT THE STOKE, THE OLD STOKES MARK? ANY PLANS IN TO DO ANYTHING WITH IT? OR DOES IT JUST KIND OF EXIST THERE? I MEAN, BESIDES THE LIGHTNING STRIKE THIS PAST WEEK, IT WASN'T LIGHTNING.
OH, WHAT WAS IT? IT WAS A TREE FELL ON THE POWER LINES AND IT RIPPED THE WIRES OUT OF IT.
THEY'RE DOWN THERE WORKING ON IT NOW.
SO, UM, I, I WOULD SAY I KNOW SEVERAL PEOPLE WHO HAVE REACHED OUT TO THAT OWNER WHO ARE VERY, VERY INTERESTED IN DOING SOMETHING WITH THAT PROPERTY.
AND THE OWNER'S BEEN VERY CONSISTENT THAT HE'S NOT INTERESTED IN THAT.
HE'S WILLING TO JUST LET IT EXIST, DO WHATEVER IT'S DOING.
I'M NOT SURE HOW TO MOVE THAT NEEDLE TO BE CANDID.
AND OF COURSE WE AS A MUNICIPALITY CAN'T DO THAT.
AND JUST, UH, SINCE THE PROJECT SEEMS TO HAVE STALLED, UM, THE OLD BB AND T BANK AT 14TH AND SHENANDOAH THERE, UM, ANY, ANY INSIGHT IN THIS ROOM ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THAT FOR SALE OR FROM LEASE? I KNOW YOU HAVE MOST RECENTLY TALKED WITH THE AGENT THERE, BUT THAT WAS A WHILE AGO.
WE, I'VE MET, I'VE TALKED TO THE AGENT ON THE PROPERTY.
THEY'RE CONSISTENTLY, THERE'S MARKETING SIGNS UP, TRYING TO GET ACTION MOVING THERE.
IF YOU DRIVE BY, YOU SEE WORK HAPPENS AND THEN IT STOPS FOR MONTHS ON END.
AND, UM, I CAN'T SPEAK TO MANY, OBVIOUSLY, ANYBODY'S PRIVATE FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS, BUT, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES PEOPLE JUST WORK ON 'EM AS FUNDING IS THERE.
UM, AS THEY CONTINUE TO MARKET.
BUT I KNOW, UM, THE AGENT, MS. CONRAD IGN EVERYTHING IS ACTIVELY MARKETING THAT AND TRYING TO GET PEOPLE IN THERE.
I THINK IT'S BOTH FOR SALE AND FOR LEASE.
I MEAN THERE'S SEVERAL, SEVERAL PROPERTIES LIKE THAT SORT OF IN TOWN AND IT'S THE, SO MOUNTAIN RESTAURANT, THERE'S, I KNOW RETAIL STRATEGY NEXT STORE HAS TALKED TO BOTH THE CORNER PROPERTY YOU'RE REFERRING TO AND TO, UM, THE SOUL MOUNTAIN RESTAURANT.
UM, I KNOW THEY'RE ACTIVELY LOOKING FOR FOLKS WHO ARE LOOKING FOR THAT KIND OF BOX, BUT MM-HMM
UM, I, I THINK IT JUST HASN'T BEEN THE RIGHT FIT YET.
WELL ANYWAY, IN THE ACTING IN, WE, I MEAN THEY'RE JUST KIND OF STALLED AS WELL.
I DON'T HAVE ANY SPECIFIC KNOWLEDGE.
I THINK THEY'VE BEEN WORKING IN THERE.
I'VE HEARD 'EM LIKE OH, REALLY? EVERY WEEK.
WELL THAT LEADS US TO OPEN DISCUSSION, WHICH I THINK WE'VE BEEN HAVING IT.
[00:25:01]
STRATEGY IS MYSELF AND PATRICK BARKER HAD A CONFERENCE CALL TO TALK ABOUT, EXCUSE ME.AND PATRICK IS THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR FOR WARREN COUNTY.
UM, WE HAD A CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT THE ACTIVITIES HAVE BEEN SO FAR, UM, WITH RETAIL GENERATION, UM, AND KIND OF FILLED HIM IN ON WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON.
AND SO HE'S EXCITED TO BE INCLUDED, I GUESS.
FOR LACK OF A BETTER, UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW WE DID CONNECT THOSE DOTS AND I THINK WE HAVE A FOLLOW UP CALL IN A COUPLE WEEKS MAYBE.
SO, UM, I WANTED TO LET YOU ALL KNOW THAT WE, WE ARE SHARING THOSE RESOURCES AND WHATEVER OTHER INFORMATION, SPECIFICALLY DATA INFORMATION, IF, IF PATRICK'S LOOKING FOR IT, WE'RE, WE'RE HAPPY TO SHARE THAT FOR THE GO THE GROUP.
SO, UM, YEAH, I MEAN THIS IS I THINK OUR FIRST MEETING SINCE THE COUNTY MADE THAT ANNOUNCEMENT MM-HMM
SO I THINK WE SHOULD BE ON THE RECORD SAYING, HEY, WELCOME TO OUR COMMUNITY.
WE'D LIKE TO WORK WITH YOU, YOU KNOW, PATRICK.
AND THE COUNTY AND ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO HELP, I WOULD IMAGINE HE'LL APPEAR IN SOME OF THESE MEETINGS AND MM-HMM
IS THERE ANYTHING COMMENT CAN BE MADE ABOUT PUBLIC? 'CAUSE I KNOW THERE'S SOME BEHIND THE SCENES JUST DISCUSSION BETWEEN PEOPLE, BUT THE ENTITY OF THE WARREN COUNTY EDA AND THE ENTITY OF THE FRONT ROW, EDA, OBVIOUSLY WE STILL HAVE TWO POSITIONS AVAILABLE.
UM, BEEN AVAILABLE FOR QUITE A WHILE.
CAN, IS THERE ANYTHING YOU CAN EXPRESS TOWARDS THE INTENT OF THE THIS GROUP'S EXISTENCE OR I THINK, UM, FUNDING, I, I THINK IF YOU WILL GO BACK AND WATCH THAT JOINT MEETING WITH THE TOWN AND THE COUNTY AND PATRICK WAS THERE AND PRESENTED, UM, I THINK EVERYBODY IS EXCITED.
PATRICK'S HERE, BEEN CHATTING WITH HIM.
HE IS EXCITED TO REALLY GET GOING HERE IN THE COUNTY.
I MET WITH HIM AND A NEW BUSINESS OUT IN PROGRESS BUSINESS PARK, FORMERLY HAPPY CREEK TECH PARK, UM, ECON, ECON, EYES, CLOSETS AND BLINDS.
THEY'RE A NEW ORGANIZATION THAT JUST MOVED OUT THERE.
UM, BUT HE'S EXCITED TO MEET, UM, YOU ALL, I THINK HE'LL LIKE TO LUCY'S POINT WILL LIKELY BE COMING TO ONE OF THESE MEETINGS SOON TO, UH, MEET YOU ALL PERSONALLY GET TOGETHER AND REALLY START TALKING ON THE EXISTING BUSINESS SIDE AND WHAT, UH, HE CAN BE DOING TO HELP THEM.
UM, AS FAR AS THE FUTURE OF THE WARREN COUNTY FRONT, ROYAL WARREN COUNTY EDA AND THE FRONT ROYAL EDA, IF YOU GO BACK AND WATCH THAT AS FAR AS HOW THE TOWN AND THE COUNTY OPERATE WITH MR. BARKER IS STILL UNKNOWN.
YOU KNOW, HE IS A COUNTY EMPLOYEE.
UM, AND THERE'S A LOT OF DISCUSSION RIGHT NOW ABOUT TOURISM AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND THESE OTHER ASSETS, HOW WE WORK TOGETHER.
UH, THESE, THOSE CONVERSATIONS COME AND GO.
AND AS YOU ALSO PROBABLY KNOW, THERE'S NO COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RIGHT NOW.
SO, UM, WE START TO HAVE SOME CONVERSATIONS AND THEN WITH, UH, YOU KNOW, THE CHANGE IN LEADERSHIP OVER THERE FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER, UH, JUST KIND OF DISRUPTS A LOT OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND PARTNERSHIPS AND WAYS TO MOVE FORWARD.
I THINK WITH MR. BARKER OVER THERE, WE WILL SEE SOME, UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK HE'S GONNA DO GREAT THINGS AND WORKING WITH THE TOWN IN THE COUNTY, WE JUST HAVEN'T REALLY DEFINED WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE YET BECAUSE HE'S JUST GETTING STARTED AND, LIKE I SAID, CHANGE OF LEADERSHIP.
BUT I KNOW HE WILL LIKELY BE HERE NEXT MONTH.
SO MAYBE WE CAN HAVE THAT CONVERSATION AND UNDERSTAND KIND OF WHAT HIS VISION IS AND HOW WE ALL WORK TOGETHER, MOVING THAT FORWARD.
BUT HE DOES LOOK TO SEEK GUIDANCE FROM OUR LOCAL STAKEHOLDERS, INCLUDING, YOU KNOW, FOLKS LIKE FRIDA AND, UM, JUST LOCAL BUSINESS OWNERS.
SO FORGOTTEN THAT TO THE TEMPORARY COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.
ANYBODY HAVE ANYTHING ELSE I WANTED TO SHARE QUICKLY, UM, ABOUT THE LITTLE LEAGUE STATE TOURNAMENT NEXT WEEK? SO THAT BEGINS ON THURSDAY AND THEN I THINK THE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME IS THE FOLLOWING WEDNESDAY MAYBE.
SO IT'S LIKE THE 16TH TO THE 21ST.
UM, I, I THINK IT HAS ECONOMIC IMPACT AS THERE ARE 16 TEAMS. ONLY ONE OF THEM IS THE FRONT ROYAL TEAM.
UM, SO THE REST OF THEM ARE STAYING IN HOTELS.
[00:30:01]
AS A PERSON WHO SCRAMBLED LAST WEEK TO TRY TO FIND 19 ROOMS FOR ONE OF THESE TEAMS, UM, I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT OUR HOTELS IN THE CORRIDOR IN PARTICULAR ARE FULL.UM, AND THESE FOLKS WILL BE HERE FOR A MINIMUM OF THREE NIGHTS AND THEY'LL BE SHOPPING AND EATING AND PARTAKING IN OUR VARIOUS ATTRACTIONS.
AND I THINK THAT THAT'S INCREDIBLE FOR US AS A COMMUNITY.
AND I KNOW THAT THE INTENTION OF THE TEAM WHO'S MANAGING THE TOURNAMENT IS TO DO THIS WELL SO THAT THEY'LL LET US HOST ANOTHER ONE IN THE FUTURE.
UM, SO I'M HOPING THAT WE MAKE THE GOOD IMPRESSION.
UM, BUT I, I THINK IT'S AMAZING THAT SOMETHING SUCH AS THAT CAN HAVE SUCH A ECONOMIC IMPACT, UM, IN OUR LITTLE CORNER OF THE WORLD.
SO, AND WE'RE SHARING SOME OF THAT TOO.
'CAUSE FRANKLY, I DON'T PHYSICALLY HAVE ENOUGH HOTEL ROOMS, UM, TO HOUSE ALL OF THEM.
SO STR PARK'S GETTING A LITTLE BIT SEEMS CITY'S GETTING A LITTLE BIT.
SO HELPING IN IN THE VALLEY HERE IS, IS ALSO HELPFUL.
AND I KNOW THAT SOME HAVE EVEN DONE SOME SHORT TERM RENTALS TOO, 'CAUSE SOME FOLKS PREFER THAT, UH, AIRBNB KIND OF FEEL.
SO, UM, IT'S DEFINITELY A POSITIVE THING FOR US HERE AND WE'RE HAPPY TO BE SUPPORTING IT FOR SURE.
BUT I FIGURED YOU SHOULD KNOW IT'S HAPPENING RIGHT IN YOUR TOWN, SO YOU SHOULD KNOW.
ANYBODY, ANYTHING ELSE? UM, SO I MEAN, WE'RE HALFWAY THROUGH THE YEAR, SO SIX MORE MONTHS WE'LL BE SAYING, ALL RIGHT, DO WE WANT TO RENEW RETAIL STRATEGIES? SO I JUST WANT TO BRING IT UP AND OBVIOUSLY YOU'VE BEEN PUT IN WORK WITHIN, UH, EVEN WITHIN, SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY, IS THERE ANYTHING SPECIFIC LOOK INTO THAT DATE THAT WE WANT? IS IT DELIVERABLE BEFORE THEN, YOU KNOW, OR ANYTHING WE COULD COMMUNICATE TO THEM THAT WE EXPECT BEFORE THEN, UH, TO MAKE THAT DECISION A LITTLE EASIER FOR US WHEN WE GET THERE.
THANKS FOR THINKING ABOUT THAT.
UM, SO WHEN ARE WE GETTING THE NEXT ONE OF THESE? IS IT THREE MONTHS FROM NOW? UH, NO, WE SHOULD GET ONE AT THE END OF THIS MONTH.
YEAH, WE SHOULD GET ANOTHER, 'CAUSE THAT ONE'S FOR Q1.
WE SHOULD GET Q2 HERE AND PROBABLY SEND IT SO I CAN SEND IT OUT TO YOU.
SO WE SHOULD, PRIOR TO OUR NEXT TEAM, BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR, WE SHOULD GET TWO MORE.
AND, AND SO YEAH, WE GET IT AT THE END OF THE MONTH FOLLOWING THE QUARTER.
THAT WILL HELP US JUDGE MM-HMM
YOU KNOW, HOW, HOW WE'RE SHAPING UP OR HOW IT'S GOING OR I THINK SO I ALSO THINK IT'D BE APPROPRIATE FOR US TO SCHEDULE ANOTHER CONVERSATION WITH THEM.
EITHER IN PERSON OR, OR DIGITALLY AS A GROUP.
I THINK THAT'D BE APPROPRIATE.
I CAN WORK ON GETTING THAT SCHEDULED.
OH, I'D LIKE TO OFFER ONE THING, AN OPEN DISCUSSION.
CONGRATULATIONS ON OPENING THE THEATER AGAIN.
IT'S, UH, WE'RE OPEN WITH, UH, TWO THIRDS OF OUR SCREENS
UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S ALL CONTINGENT UPON CONTRACTORS AND, UH, STUFF ARRIVING WHEN IT'S SUPPOSED TO ARRIVE AND WELL, AND THE REOPENING OF THE RESTAURANT NEXT TO YOU TOO.
TALK OF THE MOUNTAIN HAS, I THINK, BEEN REALLY BUSY.
SO WE'RE THRILLED TO HAVE HIM BACK AS WELL, TOM.
UM, YEAH, SO, UH, ANYWAY, WE DID REALLY WELL WITH, TO STORY FIVE AND EVEN DID, CONSIDERING IT WAS LIKE FIVE OR SIX WEEKS OLD, DOUBLE WEAR PRODUCT TWO, THERE WAS SOME LIFE IN THAT, YOU KNOW, AND MAYBE JUST PEOPLE CAME TO SUPPORT THE THEATER FOR THAT DEMOGRAPHIC.
UM, AND, UH, ANYWAY, HAVE MINIONS AND MONSTERS THIS WEEK AND, UH, WE GET MOANA, UH, NEXT WEEK OR THIS WEEK, I GUESS ON THURSDAY.
SO, UM, ANYWAY, UH, I, I WON'T SAY ANYTHING ELSE 'CAUSE UH, YOU KNOW, THAT SOUNDS LIKE A COMMERCIAL
I PROBABLY, I HAVE PROBABLY ALREADY SAID TOO MUCH, BUT, UH, BUT ANYWAY, UH, THANK YOU AND THANK THE COMMUNITY FOR THE SUPPORT OF THE THEATER AND, UH, HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE WORKING ON IT MORE IN THE COMING MONTHS, UM, WORKING ON A SEATING, UH, OPTION, UM, TO GET OUR SEATS, UM, YOU KNOW, REPLACED OR RESTORED OR SOMETHING.
BUT, UH, SO ANYWAY, UH, ANYWAY, THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR MENTIONING THAT.
RICHARD, IS THE THEATER TURNED 90 THIS YEAR? NO.
SO I DON'T, THE INFORMATION I HAVE
[00:35:01]
IS THAT IT WAS CONSTRUCTED WHAT, IN 1930.FOR SOME REASON I THOUGHT I WAS 36.
I, I, YOU KNOW WHAT? YOU, I TRUST YOU AND YOU COULD BE RIGHT.
WE'RE, WE'RE APPROACHING A CENTENNIAL.
UM, AND UH, I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN IT, UH, FOR, UH, 30 YEARS.
UH, AND UH, ANYWAY, IT'S BEEN A BIG PART OF MY LIFE AND, UH, WE ENJOY BEING PART OF THE COMMUNITY AND HOPE WE CAN CONTINUE TO BE A PART OF THE COMMUNITY.
WE'VE HAD SOME MOVING ON BUILDING BUFFALO BELL.
UNFORTUNATELY WE LOST THEM OUT OF OUR BUILDING, BUT THEY JUST MOVED DOWN THE STREET A LITTLE BIT.
SO THEY'RE IN ANOTHER STANDALONE BUILDING, UM, ACROSS FROM THE BANK, UH, THE FRONT ROW CREDIT UNION, WHICH THAT'S NICE.
AND THEN THE FOLKS THAT BOUGHT MY BUILDING HAVE FOUND A TENANT FOR THE FRONT, AND THAT'LL BE A NEW BUSINESS.
SO THEY'LL BE APPLYING FOR OUR BUSINESS LICENSE AND, UM, SOMETHING THAT'S NOT ON MAIN STREET, SO OH.
CAN'T REALLY SAY ANYTHING YET.
IT'S ABOUT ANOTHER 60 DAYS AWAY.
BUT, SO, I MEAN, THERE IS SOME BUSINESS ACTIVITY.
I MEAN, I THINK WE'VE GOT EMPTY FIVE EMPTY STOREFRONTS, UM, ON MAIN STREET RIGHT NOW.
SO HOPEFULLY THESE HOT SUMMER GET OVER AND FOLKS WILL START, UM, YOU KNOW, LOOKING IN INTO PLACE.
AND I DO KNOW THAT THERE'S BEEN TWO BUSINESSES THAT HAVE LOOKED TO LOCATE DOWNTOWN AND THE PLACES WEREN'T BIG ENOUGH, SO, WE'LL, YOU KNOW, GAVE THEM SOME IDEAS ON OTHER LOCATIONS TO GO TO.
SO WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS, BUT THERE IS SOME ACTIVITY GOING MM-HMM
I ALWAYS WANT STUFF DOWNTOWN, BUT I ALSO KIND OF LOVE THE FACT THAT IT WASN'T BIG ENOUGH FOR THEIR BUSINESS.
WELL, A COUPLE OF THE BUSINESSES THAT HAVE LEFT DOWNTOWN ARE STILL OPEN.
THEY'VE JUST GONE TO OTHER LOCATIONS BECAUSE SUPPORTING GOODS STORE.
UM, YOU KNOW, SO I MEAN, THAT'S ENCOURAGING THAT, YOU KNOW, BUSINESS IS GOOD ENOUGH.
THEY JUST NEED, THEY NEED BETTER ACCESS WITH PARKING OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE.
SO ANOTHER GOOD REASON TO HAVE A PARKING STUDY DOWNTOWN
ANYTHING ELSE? IF THERE ISN'T, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
ALL IN FAVOR SITTING ABOUT SAYING AYE A AYE.