Rebecca Barnes, the Chairman of the Prince William Regional Chamber of Commerce, had an excellent letter to the editor of the WashPo defending PWC’s image against the shoddy reporting by Nick Miroff. (Virtucon offered its own rebuttal here.) Barnes posted her letter here on Virtucon as well. However, it deserves much more prominence than that, so we are reproducing it in full here. (Be sure to read all the letters to the editor that were published on Sunday in the Prince William Extra section here.)
‘The Future Is Bright’
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As a native of the area, and now chairman of the Prince William Regional Chamber of Commerce, I like to say that I grew up “with” Prince William.
I have enjoyed watching Prince William come into its own, as we develop many of the positive traits associated with metropolitan areas — a strong economy, efficient public transportation, a wealth of recreational opportunities and diverse dining options — while maintaining our sense of community.
Nick Miroff’s recent article in The Washington Post referring to perceived “setbacks” in Prince William was a reminder that not everybody is aware of the vitality that characterizes the new Prince William. This is an area where business is thriving — a national ranking recently listed Prince William as having the 19th fastest-growing job market.
The area offers infrastructure to support high-tech and research facilities, a highly educated workforce and attractive community resources. Lockheed Martin, Micron Technologies and General Dynamics are just a few of the established companies that have been drawn to Prince William’s business-friendly atmosphere and high quality of life.
The future is bright as well, with projects in the pipeline that will further enhance the region. Construction of the FBI field office is underway at Innovation Park. Harbor Station, planned for the Cherry Hill peninsula, will bring Prince William its first luxury hotel and conference center, as well a Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course.
The National Museum of the Marine Corps is the first of three major projects adding to the rich cultural offerings in Prince William. In the near future, it will be joined by the cutting-edge SciencePort, Northern Virginia’s Science Center and the Community Performing Arts Center at George Mason, a world-class performance and art space.
In the meantime, there is still much to see and do here. The area’s rich history can be traced through a series of museums and historical sites, including Manassas. Lovers of the arts will find quality theater troupes, orchestras and dance groups, as well as national artists at Nissan Pavilion.
Fine-dining options include a perfectly glazed leg of lamb from Foundation in Manassas, a steak grilled just right at Dak’s Grill in Woodbridge or fresh seafood at Bonefish Grill in Gainesville. Also, the diversity of our restaurants easily rivals that of any metropolitan area; with choices such as Indian, Japanese and Thai readily available.
Shoppers can enjoy quaint shops in areas such as Occoquan and Old Town Manassas or one of the area’s two malls — Potomac Mills, home to outlets of high-end retailers such as Nordstrom, and Manassas Mall, anchored by stores such as Macy’s.
As I look around at the economic growth and at the energy flowing through the community, I am confident that rather than turning into a pumpkin, Prince William is well on its way to living happily ever after.
Rebecca Barnes
Bargain Boxes Moving & Storage
Chairman, Prince William Regional Chamber of Commerce
Nicely put!
Filed under: Media, Prince William County Politics
