Seven City, VA

[vdogg]

Actually the most educated response I get to "Norfolk-Virginia Beach" is "Are you in the military?"

[Cadeho]

Hampton Roads isn't that bad since it actually does surround that body of water (although to me I wonder why not just call it the James?). Tidewater can refer to all of Va's coastal plain west of the bay. There's a book we had to read titled "Tidewater Dynasty" about the Lee family and their home is in Westmoreland County I believe, far from Hampton Roads.

[mlsimons]

Sorry to reply to a really old thread...But I've always thought that unless we convert to one big city, with smaller boroughs- we will never be recognized.

With Light Rail coming, we have a chance of being taken seriously by the rest of the country; As an actual city. I've always thought the area should be referred to as

"the Old Dominion" with the seven cities as its boroughs with special taxing rights which keeps it's real estate taxes bundled to it's individual municipalities; however allowing a regional municipality to use a portion of gas/cigarette/road toll/etc tax to fund regional transportation and marketing projects. I've always thought that the name "Old Dominion" would work best because of all the many things that already use the term "old dominion."

Old Dominion University

Old Dominion peanut co.

Old Dominion freight

Dominion tower

Dominion publishing

Every small business doing business throughout the area could apply the name: "old dominion construction" or "old dominion pest control" etc...

Plus "Old Dominion is not a new name, but holds a lot of history within our area.

[metalman]

But. "Old Dominion" is already the nickname of our state.

Hampton Roads is much more unique, recognizable (because it's unique) and the waterway connection that we all have it common....IMO.

[ffjjjj]

Was in Orlando a couple of weeks ago. Told a lady I was from Virginia Beach. She said, "Oh, I was in Norfolk 20 years ago with my husband. They're kinda near to each other, aren't they?". I don't think hardly anyone outside the area knows that our 7 metro cities are contiguous and comprise one metropolitan area. I've been to many places around the country and world, and practically everyone is familiar with the city of "Virginia Beach", and the name elicits an extremely positive response from practically everyone I talk to. Whoever said it has done a good job selling itself was right. And besides, I believe that people think that "Virginia Beach" is just a cool sounding name for a city. Kinda new, kinda fresh sounding. What to call ourselves as a whole, though? I've thought about that a bit, and I really don't think there is a perfect answer that's going to be satisfactory to all and workable at the same time. The Chamber has decided upon Hampton Roads but I don't think that will ever catch on, Norfolk still markets itself as Norfolk, Virginia Beach as Virginia Beach, Chesapeake as Chesapeake, etc.

That being said, I think that "Greater Virginia Beach " or even better "Virginia Beach" would ideally be the best and most desirable unifying name for our area. Never happen because that would of realistic necessity require a merging of the 7 local governments into one, but ideally that is it. Psychologically, it would give us a fresh new appearance on the national scene if all the cities would merge and accept the unifying name of VB, yet keep their separate boroughs (as in NYC). Norfolk's downtown would grow, maybe double in size and height; we'd get a pro team in downtown Norfolk, like the NY Yankees in the Bronx borough of NYC (we'd have to call the team the "Virginia Beach_____'s); area business would flournish. We'd receive great press noting that 7 cities in VA have merged to become one, and population influx would take off. Impossibe? Of course, but it's fun to dream. But to continue that dream...maybe, if a recession became a paralyzing, dire depression, and the 7 cities faced bankruptcy and decided or were forced to merge together as one for economic reasons,and a new city rose like a phoenix from the ashes of that depression, and... I apologize for that- just dreaming, like I said. And please to any "fighters" out there: please remember that I said I was only having fun dreaming!

[urbanlife]

you go to Norfolk and tell them they should change their name to Virginia Beach and see how well that goes.

[tombarnes]

Historically, the urban center of the area has been Norfolk. There is no pressing need to have a regional moniker other than the one which has already evolved- Hampton Roads. This suits the maritime history and purpose of the area. What I would like to see is more regional cooperation between the cities and less duplication of services- convention centers, airports and so on. One can get carried away with regional names, but regional cooperation is far more important to the future of the area than quibbling about what the area will be called. I don't want to be unpleasant, but "Seven City?" This isn't even grammatically correct. Sounds like a failed Broadway musical to me

[jeffconn]

I always thought that "Seven Cities" was just some snobbery put forward by the Portfolio Weekly wine tasters. Besides, it's not numerically correct:

Norfolk

Virginia Beach

Suffolk

Chesapeake

Portsmouth

Hampton

Newport News

Williamsburg

Franklin

Poquoson

Looks like "Ten Cities" to me. Hampton Roads is what it is.

[willy]

The last three are not included in the term "7 cities" because of the size, i.e. population. The term only includes the core cities and not the smaller cities even though "we" know they are part of the metro.

[rusthebuss]

The area should be known as the Norfolk Metro area!

[urbanvb]

I have always thought Greater Norfolk or as Rus said Norfolk Metro would work. Norfolk has been around a long time and most people have heard of it. My job requires me to talk with folks around the country and overall a small percentage have heard of VB but a lot have heard of Norfolk and probably more so bc of the military. At any rate greater regionalism and exposure could go a long way for more recognition of our area.

[skylinefan]

This discussion on what to call the Hampton Roads area has been around for decades. My experience has been that most people have heard of Norfolk, Va. Beach, Hampton and Newport News. Say Chesapeake, Portsmouth or Suffolk than you get a blank look. You also get a blank look when you say Hampton Roads. My best friend sister moved to Va. Beach from Columbus, Ohio and she was very confused about what Hampton Roads means. She kept saying that she lives near the Hampton Road. I said you mean Northampton Blvd? She then is really puzzled because all the media down there refer to Hampton Roads and she confused that with a major highway like Northampton. Not sure after 3 years she still understands that the area that stretches from North Carolina to Williamsburg is called Hampton Roads. Lets clear up the confusion, call the area Greater Norfolk or Norfolk-Va. Beach-Newport News. These are actual cities and not some waterway that most people don't understand.

[jeffconn]

How about "the Norfolk Bay"? You have the major city (which is easily recognizable as being in Virginia) and the major physical asset of the community, the bay.

[CaveMaN]

I always liked the sound of "Dominion City" but, it'll never change so, sort of a pointless debate

[mistermetaj]

I have always thought Greater Norfolk or as Rus said Norfolk Metro would work. Norfolk has been around a long time and most people have heard of it. My job requires me to talk with folks around the country and overall a small percentage have heard of VB but a lot have heard of Norfolk and probably more so bc of the military. At any rate greater regionalism and exposure could go a long way for more recognition of our area.

[skylinefan]

Saying Norfolk/Va Beach is the equivalent of saying Miami/Ft. Lauderdale or Dallas/Ft. Worth. Why change it? Why we should give Norfolk more distinction over Va Beach because it happens to have a downtown is senseless when each has equal distinction for compelety different reasons?

[mlsimons]

But then you run into the problem of recognition of the Peninsula cities such as Newport News. I think to make sure that the Peninsula is recognized I would add Newport News to the area name. Norfolk/Virginia Beach/Newport News.

[urbanlife]

I grew up in Virginia Beach and was always taught in school the region was called "Tidewater." I never really understood the point in changing the region name from that. Though, I would have to agree that working together or creating a Regional Metro that handles things across city lines would be more important for the region, such as public transportation, airports, seaports, convention centers, pro teams, and so on. I have always found it hard for a region to grow in a positive manner when all the cities in it are competing with each other.

[Norfolk4Life]

Tidewater was used interchangeably for the Southside and is equivalent to the term Peninsula. Hampton Roads was chosen as a neutral alternative.