EVRIFA: Regional Collaboration Powering Peninsula Economic Growth

The Eastern Virginia Regional Industrial Facility Authority (EVRIFA) is a regional economic development partnership changing how localities across the Peninsula and Hampton Roads compete, by working together instead of separately. Created under Virginia’s Regional Industrial Facilities Act and formally recognized in 2019, EVRIFA enables multiple cities and counties to share resources, risks, and rewards in large-scale industrial and site development projects. It is now managed by the Hampton Roads Alliance.

Member localities span both the Peninsula and broader Hampton Roads, including Hampton, Newport News, Poquoson, Williamsburg, Chesapeake, Franklin, and the counties of Gloucester, James City, Isle of Wight, and York. Each appoints board representatives to guide strategy and project decisions.

EVRIFA’s mission is to strengthen the economic base of its member communities through regional cooperation on industrial development and site readiness. By pooling land, capital, and expertise, the authority helps pursue projects too large or complex for any single jurisdiction and allows communities to share in future revenues and benefits.

Its flagship initiative is the Kings Creek Commerce Center, a 433-acre industrial site in York County. EVRIFA acquired the property and structured a long-term lease with Dominion Energy for a 20-megawatt solar facility, blending clean energy and economic development. About 82 acres remain available for light industrial and advanced manufacturing, with the site certified as business ready. In its most recent fiscal year, EVRIFA also secured a purchase agreement for 30 acres for two Class A industrial warehouses totaling more than 418,000 square feet.

Beyond Kings Creek, EVRIFA continues to expand its membership and pursue new regional projects, positioning the Virginia Peninsula and Hampton Roads to attract major investments in advanced manufacturing, logistics, and clean energy.