Agribusiness: Agribusiness contributes significantly to the city's overall economy. In 2000, the economic impact of the agricultural com-munity was estimated at more than $47.8 million, based on product valued at approximately $14.9 million. There are 147 farms in
the city, resulting in approximately 33,528 acres of land under cultivation.
Construction and Real Estate: For 2000, Virginia Beach approved permits for the construction of 2,779 residential and multi-story structures, 5,834 residential additions/alterations, 1,031 commercial, 23
industrial facilities, and 1,470 other construction units with a combined value of $448,392,241.
Conventions: Estimates based on hotel and convention bureau information for 2000 indicate that 205,390 convention and trade show delegates attended 525 meetings at the Convention Center and the city's more than two dozen conference hotels, producing $68.2 million in
gross revenue. Of this amount, $4.08 million went directly to the city as tax revenue.
Military: Four military bases in Virginia Beach have an approximate annual payroll of $1.1 billion for 35,000 armed services and civilian work-ers. Oceana Naval Air Station Naval Air Station Oceana is the U. S. Navy's largest Master Jet Base, home to most all the F/A-18
Hornet Squadrons on the East Coast and the only air station in the U.S. with the F-14 Tomcat. A total of 23 strike/fighter squadrons with 310 aircraft are as-signed with over 13,000 active duty personnel and 2,141 civilian employ-ees. The largest employer in Virginia Beach, the air station's annual
payroll is over $600 million. Little Creek The Naval Amphibious Base, Little Creek, the largest base of its kind in the world, is the major operating base for the amphibious forces of the United States Atlantic Fleet. Little Creek has an annual payroll of
$223 million for 9,200 military personnel and 3,100 civilian employees. Fort Story Fort Story is an Army base established as a coastal artillery post in 1917. Fort Story is the Army's only Logistics-Over-The-Shore (LOTS) training and test site, and is the Army's only salt water purification training
site. Fort Story is also used by Navy and Marine ten-ants and periodically for active and reserve Army, Navy, Marine and Air Force units and by ROTC Detachments. Fort Story has an annual payroll of $58.6 million for 2,155 military and civilian personnel. Dam Neck Fleet Combat Training Center, Atlantic,
Dam Neck's
primary mission is to provide training in the operation and employment of combat direction and control systems. The average base population is 5,000 persons and the total military and civilian payroll is $224 million.
Tourism: In calendar year 2000, slightly less than three million visi-tors arrived in Virginia Beach. These visitors spent approximately $630 million during their stay for accommodations, meals, entertainment and other services, and directly created over 11,000 jobs
in the city. Visitor expenditures generated $50.5 million in direct city revenue.
Retail and Wholesale Trade: About 30% of the Virginia Beach labor force is employed in retail and wholesale businesses. The city has 7,600 retail/wholesale and service businesses with total taxable sales of $3.4 billion.
Business/Industry: Virginia Beach has five major concentrations of office, industrial
and commercial property - Airport Industrial Park, Greenwich/Witchduck Corridor, Central Business District/
Pembroke Area, Oceana West Corporate Park/Lynnhaven Corridor, and Corporate Landing Business Park.
