Gloucester County and all of Hampton Roads could benefit from more maritime industry coming to this region, said Sherry Spring, Gloucester’s economic development director.

Spring and Mathew Cantagallo of the Virginia Economic Development Partnership attended the International Workboat Show in New Orleans Nov. 27-Dec. 1. They met with executives in the marine industry over a two-day period in various locations in Louisiana and then spent several days at the workboat show networking and seeking prospective business.

Spring said that although they did not bring back a firm business relocation or expansion to Virginia, they made good connections and were able to get several companies at least beginning to think about opening an East Coast facility or even a sales office to be closer to Washington, D.C.

“It’s not like it used to be,” Spring said of economic development. “You can’t just sit by your phone waiting for business to come to you. You have to ...