Gene Marrano
Dan ODonnell- Roanoke
Roanoke County Administrator Dan O’Donnell delivered bad news to the Board of Supervisors today – a five million dollar-plus cut in the proposed operating budget and another three million in the capital projects budget, due to tax revenue loss associated with the Coronavirus. O’Donnell said the next fiscal year will feature a one-time “stop-gap budget” not sustainable beyond that without major changes within the county. It also includes a hiring freeze, a reduction in funding to outside agencies like Visit Virginia’s Blue Ridge and a reduction in the joint funding program with Roanoke County Public Schools.
An “open kitchen” experience, a new lobby bar in the Palm Court and outdoor seating that will add 55 seats to the Pine Room Pub are all slated for completion by September at Hotel Roanoke. Part of the motivation for the multi-million dollar renovation by the Hilton property is keeping current and fresh in the face of stiff competition for the major conference business that is expected to pick up again in the Fall. General manager Brian Wells:
NEWS RELEASE: The Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center, Curio Collection by Hilton is unveiling plans for a transformational multi-million dollar renovation of The Pine Room Pub and Palm Court Lobby.
The renovation will close the Pine Room Pub for the next five months while the space undergoes extensive interior and exterior renovations. With a reopening slated for September 2020, highlights of the project include: a new 40-seat lobby bar and seating area; an open kitchen experience in the restaurant; an outdoor patio seating area; adding more than 55 seats to the restaurant; a return of the night sky mural previously seen in the pre-1939 hotel; daily lunch and dinner service upon reopening; an additional ADA accessible bathroom and function space.
The Virginia Department of Health reports 885 new COVID-19 cases over the past 24 hours, that’s up from the 854 listed as of yesterday by 10am. The state now has 24,081 COVID-19 cases. 12 more people died from complications related to the Coronavirus, down 3 from yesterday and a sharp drop from the 43 reported on Friday. Some good news: for the 7th straight day no hospital in the Commonwealth reported having difficulty in sourcing the Personal Protective Equipment needed to protect their health care workers.
The Virginia Department of Health reports 23,196 cases of coronavirus as of this morning. That’s up from 22,342 reported Friday. 1,110 of Saturday’s cases are listed as “probable.” There are 827 recorded coronavirus-related deaths in the commonwealth, up from 812 reported Friday, and 3,164 people have been hospitalized. 136,039 people have been tested.
