World's Longest Pleasure Beach to Get Bigger This Year

by ARA Content

Virginia Beach will undergo sand replenishment project and add "300 feet of fun"

(ARA) - Everything is bigger this summer in Virginia Beach -- the beach, the boardwalk and the fun! Virginia's most popular resort city is expanding its shoreline, so its 2.6 million overnight visitors and half a million residents will have more sand to sink their feet into while strolling along the edge of the Atlantic Ocean. That's right, the world's longest pleasure beach is getting wider. This June, the city begins pumping an extra 3.2 million cubic yards of sand along the famous Virginia Beach oceanfront. The result will be the sandiest beaches ever -- as wide as a football field -- with more room for Frisbee, beach volleyball games, family picnics and, of course, sunbathing.

With an estimated cost of $20-25 million, the expanded beach is the crowning glory in a five-year $117 million Erosion Control and Hurricane Protection Project managed jointly by the City of Virginia Beach and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Last year, the historic Virginia Beach Boardwalk underwent massive renovations, leaving it wider, longer and prettier than ever.

"This year, the 'Big Beach' campaign will restore our greatest natural attraction and help keep Virginia Beach's $568 million tourism industry safe from Atlantic storms," says Jim Ricketts, director of the city's Department of Convention and Visitor Development. "By continuing to invest in our product, we ensure Virginia Beach remains a viable and popular vacation destination for generations to come," he adds.

Beginning this spring, a block will be replenished every one to three days from 1st Street to 89th Street with an expected completion date of the resort area by Labor Day. While city officials anticipate minimal inconvenience to guests from the renourishment activities, construction sites will be totally blocked off and occupy up to three blocks at a time for a maximum period of one to two days. To reach the beach, vacationers will have to stroll no more than one block north or south as the project progresses along the shoreline. Signs and project boards will be posted at construction zones detailing the schedule of activity and illustrating what the beach will look like post-restoration. Afterward, beach-goers will enjoy a bigger beach packed with 300 feet of fun! A variety of special events and promotions also are in the works to complement the "300 feet of fun" theme. Check out the Web site www.bigbeach.com for more details, a complete schedule of events and a map of ongoing beach activity.

Virginia Beach entices visitors with its mild climate, friendly atmosphere and oceanfront accommodations overlooking miles of pristine beach. Memories of scenic oceanfront vistas and family adventures bring visitors of all ages back to Virginia Beach time and time again. For more information and hotel reservations, call 1-800-VA-BEACH (1-800-822-3224) or visit www.vbfun.com for online trip planning.

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