H&LA’s recent research for project in Fredericksburg, Virginia revealed some exciting new hospitality-related developments happening in the area. These developments will have an impact on tourism, employment, and the general economy in Fredericksburg and the surrounding areas in 2021 and beyond. On-going pandemic concerns may alter timelines for some of these projects.

• A new ballpark for the Fredericksburg Nationals, a minor league affiliate of the Washington Nationals, officially opened in April of 2021 after being delayed one year by the pandemic. Located within the Celebrate Virginia complex, the new FredNats Ballpark has 5,000 fixed seats for spectators, along with a 300-seat club facility and 13 suites. This project represents a total investment of about $35 million, and it is expected to be a major tourism asset for the Fredericksburg area for years to come.

• Fun Land Fredericksburg – part of the Central Park retail and entertainment complex – recently announced plans for a new 130-foot-tall tower drop ride. In 2019, the property opened the first multi-level go-kart track in the state of Virginia. In all, the park has reportedly invested more than $2 million on upgrades over the past few years to maintain a high-quality visitor experience.

• In 2022, construction on a new Veterans Administration clinic will begin on a 60-acre site off Hood Drive near Interstate 95, on the south side of Fredericksburg. This four-story, 450,000-square-foot outpatient facility will employ about 750 staff members and will be one of the largest outpatient VA clinics in the country. The Fredericksburg VA Health Care Center is expected to open by the end of 2024.

• A new mixed-use development called Burns Corner is now under development at the Interstate 95 Courthouse Road interchange in Stafford County, north of Fredericksburg. Separated into four quadrants, Burns Corner will spread across 26 acres and will eventually include multiple restaurants, retail stores, medical offices, and office buildings, along with a new hotel and supermarket. Expected to take shape over the next few years, this major development could create as many as 700 new jobs.

• The Virginia Department of Transportation completed major upgrades to the Thornburg Interstate 95 interchange in Spotsylvania County in 2019. Highlights of this two-year, $22.4 million project included a new four-lane overpass bridge, turn lanes at offramps, stoplight signals, and sidewalks. The next major VDOT project in the area will be a $21.2 million widening of Mudd Tavern Road to four lanes from the interstate to US Route 1, which is slated for completion in late 2022. Part of a larger $1 billion effort to improve Interstate 95 in northern Virginia, these projects will help accommodate increased traffic anticipated due to ongoing commercial development.

• A new gaming resort called The Rose has been proposed on the site of a former landfill in Dumfries, Virginia, north of Fredericksburg. Plans call for a 50,000-square-foot gaming space, a 250-seat sports bar, a 1,500-seat theater, 200 hotel rooms, and 7,000 square feet of event space. This project would also include 79 acres of public recreation space, with sports fields and an outdoor amphitheater. This development is currently in the early planning stages, and it is unclear when it will be completed.

• The Kings Dominion theme park recently completed a major renovation of the Coconut Shores area of its Soak City waterpark, creating a multi-level play structure with two giant tipping buckets, eight twisting slides, and more than 200 interactive features. The park also added the new Sand Dune Lagoon, a miniature wave pool for smaller children. In 2022, Kings Dominion will debut the new Jungle X-Pedition area, featuring a new roller coaster called Tumbili, as well as new dining and retail offerings.