Editing Virginia Beach, Virginia (section)

==Economy==
[[File:Virginia Beach looking north at 29th Street.jpeg|thumb|right|Beach along the Atlantic Ocean in Virginia Beach]]
Virginia Beach is composed of a variety of industries, including national and international corporate headquarters, advanced manufacturers, defense contractors and locally owned businesses.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.yesvirginiabeach.com/key-industries|title=Key Industries|website=Virginia Beach Economic Development|access-date=October 29, 2022}}</ref> The city's location and business climate have made it a hub of international commerce, as nearly 200 foreign firms have established a presence, an office location or their North American headquarters in Hampton Roads. Twenty internationally based firms have their U.S. or North American headquarters in Virginia Beach, including companies like [[Stihl]], [[London Bridge Trading Company]], Busch Vacuum Solutions, [[IMS Gear]], and Sanjo Corte Fino.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.stihlusa.com/about-stihl/|title=About Stihl USA – Corporate Information|website=[[Stihl]]|access-date=May 27, 2022}}</ref> Other major companies headquartered in Virginia Beach include [[Amerigroup]], the [[Christian Broadcasting Network]] and [[Operation Blessing International]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.amerigroup.com/contact-us|title=Amerigroup – Contact Us|access-date=March 22, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url= https://www1.cbn.com/about/cbn-partners-history|title=About CBN|publisher=[[Christian Broadcasting Network]]|access-date=March 22, 2022}}</ref> Other major employers include [[GEICO]], [[VT Group|VT]] and [[Naval Supply Systems Command|Navy Exchange Service Command]].<ref name="VBEDC Tourism">{{cite web | url = http://www.yesvirginiabeach.com/ | title = Economic Profile | access-date = March 8, 2007 | publisher = Virginia Beach Economic Development Community}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://careers.geico.com/us/en/virginia-beach|title=Virginia Beach – Geico Careers|publisher=[[GEICO]]|access-date=November 21, 2021}}</ref> In addition, Virginia Beach is home to a number of small, innovative companies, such as [[Morphix Chameleon|Morphix Technologies]], who cater for military industry.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Morphix Technologies Virginia Beach |url=https://www.pilotonline.com/inside-business/article_1d274778-bba7-5ecd-b9ff-0f72e3ef43b8.html |access-date=August 29, 2022 |website=The Virginian-Pilot|date=August 12, 2011 }}</ref> In September 2023, it was announced that [[Amazon (company)|Amazon]] will build 2 new operational delivery facilities in Virginia Beach.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pilotonline.com/2023/09/25/amazon-to-build-2-facilities-in-virginia-beach-bring-more-than-1000-new-jobs/|title=Amazon to build 2 new facilities in Virginia Beach, bringing more than 1,000 jobs|last=Morales|first=Cianna|date=September 25, 2023|website=[[The Virginian-Pilot]]|access-date=November 22, 2023}}</ref> Virginia Beach was ranked at number 45 on Forbes list of best places for business and careers.

Tourism produces a large share of Virginia Beach's economy.<ref>{{Cite web|url= https://www.13newsnow.com/article/news/va-beach-heavily-relies-on-tourism-city-increased-ad-spending/450516996|title=VA Beach heavily relies on tourism: city increased ad spending|last=Patterson|first=Erin|date=June 20, 2017|website=13Newsnow.com|access-date=June 20, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pilotonline.com/inside-business/article_52239466-901f-11e8-9979-b74635d56565.html|title=Virginia Beach attracted 19 million tourist in 2017|last=Metcalfe|first=Trevor|date=July 25, 2018|website=[[The Virginian-Pilot]]|access-date=November 23, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url= https://longwoods-intl.com/news-press-release/virginia-beach-draws-tourism-and-it-seems-be-growing#:~:text=Visitation%20research%20conducted%20by%20Longwoods,day%20visitation%20reached%209.7%20million.|title=Virginia Beach draws tourism, and it seems to be growing|access-date=November 23, 2021}}</ref> With an estimated $857&nbsp;million spent in tourism related industries, 14,900 jobs cater to 2.75&nbsp;million visitors. City coffers benefit as visitors provide $73&nbsp;million in revenue. Virginia Beach opened a Convention Center in 2005 which caters to large group meetings and events. Hotels not only line the oceanfront but also cluster around Virginia Beach Town Center and other parts of the city. Restaurants and entertainment industries also directly benefit from Virginia Beach's tourism.<ref name="VBEDC Tourism"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wtkr.com/news/how-tourism-impacts-hotels-and-airbnbs-at-the-oceanfront|title=How tourism impacts hotels, Airbnb rentals at Virginia Beach Oceanfront|last=Miller|first=Erin|date=June 1, 2022|website=WTKR.com|access-date=July 8, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wtkr.com/news/back-to-the-beach-busy-tourism-season-expected-in-virginia-beach|title=Back to the Beach: Busy tourism season expected in Virginia Beach|last=Ponton|first=Brendan|date=June 2, 2022|website=WTKR.com|access-date=July 8, 2023}}</ref>

Virginia Beach has a large [[agribusiness]] sector which produces $80&nbsp;million for the city economy. One hundred-seventy-two farms exist in Virginia Beach, mostly below the greenline in the southern portion of the city. Farmers are able to sell their goods and products at the city's Farmer's Market.<ref name="VBEDC Agribusiness">{{cite web | url = http://www.yesvirginiabeach.com/ | title = Agribusiness | access-date = March 8, 2007 | publisher = Virginia Beach Economic Development Community}}</ref><ref name="Farmers Market">{{cite web|title=Farmers Market|url=http://www.vbgov.com/vgn.aspx?vgnextchannel=f7fa995e5306d010VgnVCM1000006310640aRCRD&vgnextparchannel=3d827e192ca49010VgnVCM100000870b640aRCRD|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070916022345/http://www.vbgov.com/vgn.aspx?vgnextchannel=f7fa995e5306d010VgnVCM1000006310640aRCRD&vgnextparchannel=3d827e192ca49010VgnVCM100000870b640aRCRD|archive-date=September 16, 2007|access-date=March 8, 2007|publisher=City of Virginia Beach}}</ref>
[[File:F-4J VF-41 over NAS Oceana NAN10-71.jpg|thumb|right|A VF-41 F-4J over NAS Oceana in the late 1960s]]
Virginia Beach is home to several [[United States Military]] bases.<ref>{{Cite magazine|url= https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/virginia-beach-americas-true-navy-town-195394/|title=Virginia Beach: America's True Navy Town|last=Carter|first=Clint|date=June 1, 2017|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|access-date=January 29, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sandboxx.us/blog/10-things-to-do-when-youre-stationed-at-virginia-beach/|title=10 things to do when you're stationed at Virginia Beach|last=Kelly|first=Victoria|date=January 21, 2020|website=Sandboxx.us|access-date=January 29, 2023}}</ref> These include the [[United States Navy]]'s [[Naval Air Station Oceana|NAS Oceana]] and [[Training Support Center Hampton Roads]], and the [[Joint Expeditionary Base East]] located at Cape Henry.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnic.navy.mil/Regions/cnrma/installations/nas_oceana/about/history/|title=History – Naval Air Station Oceana|website=cnic.navy.mil|access-date=November 23, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.netc.navy.mil/TSCHR/|title=Training Support Center Home – NETC|website=NETC.navy.mil|access-date=November 23, 2021|archive-date=November 23, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211123181700/https://www.netc.navy.mil/TSCHR/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
Additionally, [[Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek|NAB Little Creek]] is located mostly within the city of Virginia Beach but carries a Norfolk address.<ref name="VBEDC Military">{{cite web | url = http://www.yesvirginiabeach.com/vgn.aspx?vgnextoid=ffea83966c990110VgnVCM100000f30a0a0aRCRD&channel=true | title = Economic Profile&nbsp;— Military | access-date = March 8, 2007 | publisher = Virginia Beach Economic Development Community |url-status=dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081205095530/http://www.yesvirginiabeach.com/vgn.aspx?vgnextoid=ffea83966c990110VgnVCM100000f30a0a0aRCRD&channel=true | archive-date = December 5, 2008}}</ref>

NAS Oceana is the largest employer in Virginia Beach; it was decreed by the 2005 BRAC Commission that NAS Oceana must close unless the city of Virginia Beach condemns houses in areas designated as "Accident Potential Zones." This action has never been the position of the United States Navy; indeed, the Navy had not recommended NAS Oceana to the BRAC Commission for potential closure.<ref name="BRAC Reaction">{{cite news | url = https://pilotonline.com/news/military/article_582bc051-86e8-5aed-8017-9ca09eb0bbf3.html | title = Beach council tightens rules on building around Oceana | first = Deirdre | last = Fernandes | date = January 9, 2008 | newspaper = [[The Virginian-Pilot]] | via = PilotOnline.com | location = Virginia Beach | access-date = June 22, 2019 | archive-date = September 7, 2022 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220907165754/https://www.pilotonline.com/news/military/article_582bc051-86e8-5aed-8017-9ca09eb0bbf3.html | url-status = dead }}</ref>

Both NAS Oceana and Training Support Center Hampton Roads are considered to be the largest of their respective kind in the world. Furthermore, located in nearby Norfolk is the central hub of the United States Navy's [[U.S. Atlantic Fleet|Atlantic Fleet]], [[Naval Station Norfolk]].<ref name="littlecreek">{{cite book | title = Worldwide Space – A Travel Handbook and RV, Camping Guide: CONUS and Abroad | edition = 14 | publisher = Spaceatravel.com | year = 2004 | isbn = 1-881341-14-3}} {{ISBN|978-1-881341-14-7}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Welcome to Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story|url=https://www.cnic.navy.mil/Regions/cnrma/installations/jeb_little_creek_fort_story/|access-date=May 14, 2018|website=CNIC}}</ref>

54% of the 171,000 people working in Virginia Beach live in the city, 12% live in Chesapeake, and 10% live in Norfolk. An additional 99,600 people commute from Virginia Beach, with 35% going to Norfolk and 23% going to Chesapeake. Unemployment has been cut almost in half over the past two years going from a high of 4.2% in January 2017 to 2.8% in June 2019.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://virginialmi.com/report_center/community_profiles/5104000810.pdf | title = Virginia Beach city | publisher = Virginia Employment Commission | date = May 12, 2018 | access-date = November 16, 2017 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20171117001917/http://virginialmi.com/report_center/community_profiles/5104000810.pdf | archive-date = November 17, 2017 | url-status = dead }}</ref>{{verify source|date=May 2018|reason=source is dynamic and was recently changed}}