Regional Economics Commons^™

Part 3: The Scourge Of Opioids In The Commonwealth, Center For Economic Analysis And Policy, Old Dominion University

State of the Commonwealth Reports

Opioid-related deaths have skyrocketed in the Commonwealth and the United States. Almost three-quarters of those who abuse opioids start with a legitimate prescription. We investigate the rise of fentanyl as the primary cause of overdose fatalities and compare opioid practices in the United States with other industrialized countries. We estimate the costs of the opioid crisis and ask what steps can be taken to help those currently addicted and to prevent future deaths.

Part 6: Time To Go Regional Or Mega?, Center For Economic Analysis And Policy, Old Dominion University

State of the Commonwealth Reports

Interest in regional cooperation is rising again in the Commonwealth. We discuss the benefits of regionalism and examine the rise of megaregions in the United States. We ask whether there is a Richmond-Hampton Roads megaregion in the making.

2017 State Of The Commonwealth Report, Vinod Agarwal, Barbara Blake Gonzalez, Chloe Cohen, Vicky Curtis, Steve Daniel, Chip Filer, Dominique Johnson, Tim Komarek, Feng Lian, Sharon Lomax, Alice Mcadory, Janet Molinaro, Ken Plum, Jennifer Seay, Aiden Thompson, Jay Walker, Son D. Wilson, Ziniya Zahedi

State of the Commonwealth Reports

This is the third State of the Commonwealth Report produced by the Center for Economic Analysis and Policy at Old Dominion University. The report is sponsored, in part, by ODU's Strome College of Business. While the report represents the work of many people connected in various ways to the university, it does not constitute an official viewpoint of Old Dominion, its president, John R. Broderick, or the Board of Visitors.

This report maintains the goal of stimulating thought and discussion that ultimately will make the Commonwealth of Virginia an even better place to live, work, and do business. We are …

Part 5: Broadband In Virginia: Vital For Economic Development, Center For Economic Analysis And Policy, Old Dominion University

State of the Commonwealth Reports

Up to 70 percent of the world’s internet traffic flows through Northern Virginia, but some areas of the Commonwealth still do not enjoy broadband internet connections. Robust broadband access now is as important as roads, bridges and airports in terms of economic development and population growth.

Part 3: The Hotel Industry In The Commonwealth, Center For Economic Analysis And Policy, Old Dominion University

State of the Commonwealth Reports

Over the past quarter-century, the hotel industry has become a relatively less important part of the Virginia economy. Occupancy rates have yet to recover to prerecession levels and price-adjusted hotel revenue and revenue per available room in 2015 similarly were below their previous peaks.

Part 4: Will Robots Take Your Job? A Look At Virginia's Opportunities And Vulnerabilities, Center For Economic Analysis And Policy, Old Dominion University

State of the Commonwealth Reports

A recent study found that 47 percent of all current jobs are susceptible to loss because of automation and the use of artificial intelligence. The key to a worker’s job vulnerability relates primarily to whether that worker is engaged in repetitive work that can be replicated by a machine or software using artificial intelligence.

Part 6: Stock Car Racing In Virginia: The Sport And The Business, Center For Economic Analysis And Policy, Old Dominion University

State of the Commonwealth Reports

In addition to its nationally prominent Bristol Motor Speedway and Richmond International Speedway, the Commonwealth hosts nine other racetracks, five dirt tracks and eight drag racing strips. While still a very important economic phenomenon, attendance and revenue data suggest that stock car racing has passed its peak of popularity.

Part 2: Northern Virginia: Turning The Corner?, Center For Economic Analysis And Policy, Old Dominion University

State of the Commonwealth Reports

NOVA now accounts for 37 percent of all employment in Virginia, but approximately 45 percent of the value of the Commonwealth’s economic activity. Recent growth in professional and business services employment suggests that the region may have turned the corner toward a more diverse, private sector-oriented economy.

Part 1: The Virginia Economy In Transition, Center For Economic Analysis And Policy, Old Dominion University

State of the Commonwealth Reports

The Commonwealth is experiencing relatively slow economic growth as it gradually transitions from an economy highly dependent upon federal spending to one that still involves a substantial federal presence, but also more value-added private-sector activities, entrepreneurial ventures and participation in international trade.

Part 7: The Rise Of Single-Earner Households In Virginia: Why It Matters, Center For Economic Analysis And Policy, Old Dominion University

State of the Commonwealth Reports

Forty-seven percent of all households in Virginia now are headed by one or more single individuals and these households include all adult age groups. Nevertheless, our current legal and regulatory structure continues to focus on “Ozzie and Harriet” households.

Part 8: Liberty University: A Higher Education Phenomenon, Center For Economic Analysis And Policy, Old Dominion University

State of the Commonwealth Reports

Christian-centered Liberty University has a combined on-campus and online enrollment of more than 100,000 students and has accumulated an endowment of $1.4 billion. The university’s long-term aspiration is to be considered in the same breath as Notre Dame is for Roman Catholics and Brigham Young is for Mormons.

Part 6: The Small-Business Story In Virginia: What A Quarter Century Of Data Reveal, Center For Economic Analysis And Policy, Old Dominion University

State of the Commonwealth Reports

Very small businesses in Virginia (those with fewer than 10 employees) have been holding their own, but many have found it difficult to grow beyond this size. Very small businesses now account for smaller proportions of total employment and payrolls in Virginia than was true 25 years ago. However, public policy changes can alter this situation.

Part 2: Northern Virginia: Standing At A Fork In The Road, Center For Economic Analysis And Policy, Old Dominion University

State of the Commonwealth Reports

Direct federal employment and procurement spending accounts for almost 40 percent of all economic activity in Northern Virginia, which in turn accounts for more than 40 percent of all economic activity in Virginia. Sequestration has hobbled Northern Virginia’s growth. However, George Mason University’s leading economic index suggests better times are on the horizon.

Part 7: Consolidating Or Merging The Public Service Provision In Virginia Cities And Counties: Where Can We Save The Most Money?, Center For Economic Analysis And Policy, Old Dominion University

State of the Commonwealth Reports

Controlling for variables such as the cost of living and local characteristics, we examine the provision of 25 distinct public services by the 95 counties and 39 independent cities in Virginia. Could we save money and perhaps provide better services if we combined the provision of some of these services across county and city lines? The evidence suggests that the answer is yes for at least 13 of these public services and perhaps for another four.

Part 3: Digging Deeper: A Closer Look At Defense Spending In Virginia, Center For Economic Analysis And Policy, Old Dominion University

State of the Commonwealth Reports

An estimated 11.8 percent of Virginia’s GDP depends upon defense spending. An important part of this are the contracts awarded to Virginia businesses by the Department of Defense. Two regions – Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads – account for 86 percent of these contracts.

Part 4: If You Can Make It There... You Can Make It Even Better In Virginia, Center For Economic Analysis And Policy, Old Dominion University

State of the Commonwealth Reports

The good news is that the “real,” inflation-adjusted incomes of Virginians in nearly every area of the Commonwealth are higher than in nearly all comparable regions along the Atlantic Coast, including New York City.

Part 5: Fly Away With Me: A Look At Virginia's Airports, Center For Economic Analysis And Policy, Old Dominion University

State of the Commonwealth Reports

For several years, both passenger traffic and the number of available seats have been in decline at nearly all of the Commonwealth’s airports. Reagan/Washington National and Charlottesville are the major exceptions. Decisions made by the U.S. Congress have placed a particular burden on Dulles International.

Part 8: Domestic Migration: What Moves Us?, Center For Economic Analysis And Policy, Old Dominion University

State of the Commonwealth Reports

Virginians and all other Americans can vote with their feet and move from one location to another in response to job opportunities, amenities and other factors. Recently, Virginia has experienced very low or even negative levels of net domestic migration. We look at the migration experience of 358 metropolitan regions nationally (including the largest eight in Virginia) to provide some answers.

Part 1: The Virginia Economy Struggles To Cope With Economic Headwinds, Center For Economic Analysis And Policy, Old Dominion University

State of the Commonwealth Reports

The Virginia economy grew 0.02 percent in real terms in 2014, will grow only about 1.33 percent in 2015, and we forecast only a 1.98 percent growth rate in 2016. The villain in this scenario is stagnant or declining federal spending, especially defense spending.