During a roundtable at the Virginia Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau, former Rep. Elaine Luria (D-VA) and local travel leaders discussed the development of a new 285,000-square-foot state-of-the-art sports center, slated for completion November 2020. The Virginia Beach Sports Center, which will be located in the coastal city’s Oceanfront district, will accommodate seating for nearly 5,000 track spectators and include concession areas and meeting rooms. With the court space and ability to lay the track flat, the design will allow for flexible use of program space to accommodate a variety of sporting events, including gymnastics, wrestling, futsal, floor hockey and more. Virginia Beach has established itself as a top sports tourism destination, hosting nearly 100 events per year for the last 20 years. The group also advocated for several federal issues, including the Brand USA Extension Act (HR.3851/S.2203) and the JOLT Act (H.R.2187). Finally, the group discussed the need for innovative solutions to the area’s workforce problems, with a suggestion to establish a federal program to help military spouses find jobs in the industry and increasing J-1 Summer Work Travel visas.