Instead of taking this public feedback and creating a vision the people can support, the City disregarded our desires in order to follow ‘recent trends’ and capitalize on the Port of Virginia. As citizens of Suffolk, we deserve better! We deserve a comprehensive plan that is focused on OUR priorities, encompassing the values we have and  not just paying lip-service to them. 

What if, instead of focusing on being one of the fastest growing cities in Virginia, we focus on being the city everyone wants to visit? What if we take the special qualities we already have and make them more visible and interconnected? An alternative vision for Suffolk is one where nature, agriculture and a vibrant and thriving downtown come together. We can achieve this if we discard that vision of warehouse and suburban sprawl and instead look inwards on how we can improve the Suffolk we have. 

Tourism in Suffolk had an economic impact of $217.8 million in 2022. Compare that to neighboring Chesapeake, with almost $800 million dollars of impact; it is clear there is significant room for growth in the tourism industry here. (source) Even more impressively, the greater Richmond area brought in $3.5 billion in direct tourist spending in 2022 ,with Henrico County alone accounting for $1.7 billion dollars of that tourist money. (source) Richmond and its surrounding areas focus on youth sports. Suffolk should have its own focus and is well-poised to capitalize on its small-town charm, agricultural community and its ecological and outdoor adventure possibilities.

Suffolk already has so much to offer with its unique character, history, and culture. It is rich in natural resources with a mild climate that  allows for year-round outdoor activity.  Our villages  each have their own charm and there are abundant historical sites throughout the City. A more focused emphasis on connecting our parks, waterways, bike paths, historical sites, cultural attractions, and small businesses would enhance the community both for residents and visitors. 

Agriculture is the single largest private industry in the state, generating roughly $462 million of direct and indirect economic impact for the City of Suffolk. (source) It can be the key to Suffolk’s future if we let it. “Agritourism” is a growing subset of tourism. People are looking for that authentic experience and the opportunity to connect with nature and the rural environment. One way we could invest in our agricultural community is with the construction of an agricultural complex that could serve as a venue to draw visitors and farmers from around the state and beyond. It could host everything from horse shows to dog shows, livestock events, chicken swaps, tractor pulls, and educational opportunities with organizations like  4-H and Future Farmers of America. 

Our local agricultural community could be the backbone of a new public market that could be located downtown. Public markets can be a driving economic force in communities, as well as a public space for increasing social integration and providing opportunities for social mobility. (source) They provide access to the marketplace for small local businesses, serve as a supply of fresh produce in food deserts, offer a venue for local artists and musicians, and have the ability to draw people from throughout the city and surrounding areas as a tourist destination. A public market could  link the rural areas of Suffolk to our downtown, revitalizing it with new economic opportunities and  bringing people together.  

A passenger rail stop downtown could generate even more tourism. Amtrak reported record ridership to Newport News, Norfolk, and Richmond with over 92,610 riders in March 2024, up 24% from the previous March. (source) According to Michigan State University, tourism has become one of the largest and fastest-growing economic sectors and can be a “key economic driver of socio-economic progress through the creation of jobs, new business, export revenues and infrastructure development.” (source) 

Instead of building suburban sprawl outside the downtown area that will incur more heavy long-term infrastructure costs, we can focus on infill towards our city center. A thousand more tightly-packed single-family homes built on farmland and priced at $400,000 will not help with the affordable housing crisis in our city. We don’t have to build houses for everyone to move to Suffolk–instead, let’s make it a priority to build affordable housing for our citizens already living in Suffolk. 

Warehouses may bring some economic benefit to a city, but it is accompanied by heavy truck traffic, air and noise pollution. They are unsightly and do not instill public pride or contribute to the social and cultural experiences of a city.  By contrast, agriculture, tourism and a public market can enhance a community on many levels, contributing to economic development while preserving natural resources. These things can become a source of pride for our city. 

A commitment to stop paving over our farmland could bring about a future for Suffolk that ties us together. Things like a passenger rail stop, a public market, and an agricultural complex, along with increased interconnectivity of our parks, trails, waterways, historic sites and villages, could provide us a thriving downtown and preserve our agricultural lands for generations to come. 

This vision is in line with the public feedback the City received – serving as the warehouse capital of Virginia is not. Let’s focus on what makes Suffolk special. Let’s say no to the vision in the 2045 Comprehensive Plan and ask the City to envision a better future for Suffolk.