4-23-08 Kalahari Resorts in Celebrate Virginia wins six of seven votes from Fredericksburg City Council members. City ordinances necessary to distribute tax-based incentives pass.

4-9-08 Kalahari project draws overwhelming support during public hearing. Kalahari's potential to create jobs prasied along with the wide impact that its $230 million project will have in the local economy.

3-19-08 Consultant calls Kalahari the "gold standard" of water park hotel operators, and said its claims that it will generate nearly $6 million in new annual tax revenue for the city are reasonable. 

"There really is very limited direct risk to the city, which is very important," said James Prost, of Maryland-based Basile, Baumann, Prost, Cole & Associates. "A hotel project, and particularly a major resort hotel project like this, is going to bring in net revenue that the city would not otherwise receive."

3-1-08 Uptown Central Park will now be known as Central Park Town Center. Demand for office space in the area together with the conveniences and draws of Celebrate Virginia helps spark new focus to go with a new look:

"One of the things we're finding is that businesses as far away as Richmond and Northern Virginia are interested in coming here, which is exciting," said Rappaport's Simeck. "It's due to the two new hospitals that are coming and the location midway between Richmond and Washington. With the [Fredericksburg Expo and Convention Center] and all the tourism drawn to the area because of that, it's the place to be."

2-26-08 Local newspaper points to progress in Fredericksburg region; includes Celebrate Virginia South benchmark as example of improvements that bode well for the community.