Frequently Asked Questions
The perfect starting point to being writing your article on Hampton as an exciting second-tier national meeting and leisure vacation destination to meeting planners and group tour operators is research. The media team has compiled a list of top questions to get you started.
Media Relations
Manager
(757) 722-1222, ext. 5328
ryan@hamptoncvb.com
1919 Commerce Drive
Hampton, VA 23666
Toll Free: (800) 487-8778
Fax: (757) 896-4600
Listed below are the 10 most frequently
asked questions about Hampton
and our surrounding region.
- Are Hampton and Hampton Roads the same thing?
- Does the name Hampton Roads refer to water or land?
- How is Hampton the oldest continuous English-speaking settlement in North America? Doesn't Jamestown have that distinction?
- Built in 1728, how can St. John's Church be the oldest English parish in America?
- Why do they call Hampton the City of Firsts?
- What does "First from the sea, first to the stars" mean?
- Why does the city view Hampton as a viable convention destination?
- When did the Hampton Roads Convention Center open and what will distinguish it from other centers in Virginia?
- I'm going to be in Hampton for a limited amount of time. What can I do to experience the history and essence of the city in a short amount of time?
- What are the most kid-friendly attractions in Hampton?
| Is Hampton and Hampton Roads the same thing? No, Hampton refers to the City of Hampton, located at the center of the Hampton Roads region. The region consists of nine cities and six counties. In North Hampton Roads these include: Hampton, Newport News, Poquoson, Williamsburg, Gloucester County, James City County, Mathews County, Isle of Wight County and York County. South Hampton Roads is represented by: Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk, and Virginia Beach. Currituck County in North Carolina is also included due to the large number of residents employed in the Hampton Roads area. Back to Top Does the name Hampton Roads refer to water or land? Both…The name serves a dual purpose, describing both a body of water and a geographic region. The waterway has been called one of the finest natural harbors in the world. Home to Navy ships, commercial trawlers, cargo vessels, submarines, and pleasure craft, Hampton Roads is a busy estuary that feeds into the Atlantic Ocean via the Chesapeake Bay. Back to Top How is Hampton the oldest continuous English-speaking settlement in North America? Doesn't Jamestown have that distinction? Captain John Smith paused at Point Comfort, now home-site to Fort Monroe, prior to continuing up-river to Jamestown where the first colonists settled. In July 9, 1610 English colonists settled on the site of the Kecoughtan Indian Village. This date marks the time from which the first English-speaking settlement was established on land that would eventually become Hampton. However Jamestown was not continually habituated. Consequently, Hampton is the oldest continuous English-speaking settlement in North America. Back to Top Built in 1728, how can St. John's Church be the oldest English parish in America? The current church on Queen's Way is the fourth site of worship for the Elizabeth City parish. The parish was established in 1610 and is the oldest English-speaking parish in North America. Back to Top Why do they call Hampton the City of Firsts?
The City of Hampton recently announced an exciting development project that will dramatically enhance the city's convention product. The $200-million Crossroads Development project involving XL Development Group will bring a full service hotel and a 2,000-seat theater to the site presently shared by the Hampton Roads Convention Center, a John Q. Hammons Embassy Suites Hotel and the 84,000-square-foot Hampton Coliseum arena. Gaylord Entertainment/Corporate Magic is among the project’s partners. The project will take place in two phases. For information contact Hampton Convention & Visitor Bureau 800-487-8778, Media Director. Blocks from the Hampton Roads Convention Center, construction on the Peninsula Town Center is underway. The center will replace Hampton's Coliseum Mall with a new lifestyle activity hub featuring shopping and dining unique to the Hampton Roads region. Peninsula Town Center is projected to open in late 2008. 757/838-1505, www.peninsulatowncenter.com. With all of these exciting additions, few convention centers and destinations present the entertainment variety that Hampton will present to meeting delegates.
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