🗺️ Centreville just approved its first major planning update in more than 25 years. The plan includes more housing, safer streets, a stronger town-center feel and even the possibility of future Metro access.

🚫 Prince William County supervisors denied a proposal for a nearly 2,000-acre data center campus in Dulles South after hours of public comment.

🌐 National Harbor’s proposed Sphere is starting to take shape, and the first site plan reveals new details about its height, layout, entrances, parking and visitor access.

Scroll down and enjoy!

—Chris Colgan

Watch the classic film on the big screen while the National Symphony Orchestra performs John Williams' Oscar-nominated score live. A pre-performance discussion on the Smithsonian's R2-D2 and C-3PO costumes kicks off the night on the Farmhouse Lawn at 7 PM.
📍 Location: Filene Center at Wolf Trap, Vienna
📅 Date: July 9 | 8 PM (gates open 6:30 PM)
🎟️ Tickets: Starting around $57
MORE INFO→

Pack a blanket and settle in on the Vienna Town Green for a free evening of rock, blues, soul, and reggae. The Town of Vienna's beloved concert series brings roughly 90 minutes of live music to the heart of town.
📍 Location: Vienna Town Green, 144 Maple Ave. E, Vienna
📅 Date: July 10 | 6:30 PM
🎟️ Tickets: Free
MORE INFO→

Bring a picnic and a blanket for two fast-paced arena polo matches under the lights at historic Morven Park. It's a family-friendly Loudoun summer tradition with food and dessert vendors on-site and plenty of room for the kids to roam.
📍 Location: Morven Park International Equestrian Center, Leesburg
📅 Date: July 11 | 6 PM–10 PM (first match at 7 PM)
🎟️ Tickets: Car passes from $45 (up to 6 people per vehicle; buy in advance online)
MORE INFO→

NOT ENOUGH? SEE 10+ GREAT THINGS TO DO THIS WEEKEND→

Driving the news
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved a new long-range plan for Centreville on June 23, setting a new path for growth near Route 28, Route 29 and I-66.

Details
The plan updates land-use policies for roughly 2,700 to 3,000 acres in the Sully District and supports a more walkable suburban center.

Why it matters
This gives the area a clearer plan for housing, safer streets, better access to daily services and more places for people to gather.

The goal is to make Centreville feel less like a pass-through crossroads and more like a connected community hub.

The big picture
Centreville has long sat at a busy meeting point of major roads.

The new plan treats that location as a chance to build a stronger suburban center, with housing, transit, shops, parks and civic spaces working together.

By the numbers
The county says the plan could raise Centreville’s residential capacity from 13,866 units to 20,455 units.

Between the lines
Two county-owned sites could play a key role: the Centreville Regional Library and the Stone Road Park & Ride.

The library site is already being studied as a possible future home for both a new library and affordable housing.

What’s next
Future projects will still need to move through review, funding and development steps.

The plan also recommends road and transit changes, including removing three planned interchanges and improving New Braddock Road, Pickwick Road and local pedestrian links.

The bottom line
Centreville’s new plan gives the community a long-term blueprint for more housing, safer travel and a stronger town-center feel, shaped by years of resident feedback, surveys, open houses and a community task force.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE→

Prince William County leaders rejected a major data center proposal near the Loudoun County border, ending plans for a nearly 2,000-acre campus in Gainesville.

Driving the news
The Prince William Board of County Supervisors voted 8-0 Tuesday to deny the Dulles South Innovation Center plan after more than five hours of public comment.

Details
The project, also known as Dulles Cloud South, would have brought a large data center campus to land along Sanders Lane.

Why it matters
For nearby residents, the vote keeps a large rural area from being converted into heavy data center use.

Local leaders said the decision supports better long-term planning, protects nearby communities, and helps preserve land tied to the Occoquan watershed.

The big picture
The vote comes soon after the collapse of the Prince William Digital Gateway project, another major data center plan that faced legal and community pushback.

Between the lines
Supporters said the project could bring tax revenue and help fund road fixes, including work tied to Sudley Road.

Opponents argued the county should not approve a data center campus outside its planned data center zone without a broader look at traffic, power, water, air quality and land use.

What’s next
The board’s vote signals that Prince William County may take a harder line on large data center plans that fall outside approved areas.

Supervisors also pointed to the need for growth that follows the county’s 2040 Comprehensive Plan.

The bottom line
Prince William leaders chose planning and community concerns over a large data center expansion, giving Gainesville-area residents a clear win in the county’s ongoing debate over where data centers belong.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE→

Driving the news
Sphere Entertainment’s proposed National Harbor venue is moving into the early entitlement phase, with a concept site plan now showing the layout, entrances, parking areas and plaza connections for the 6,000-seat project.

Details
The Sphere would sit on more than 14 acres north of MGM National Harbor, with the main venue, service yard and pedestrian plaza planned for about 9 acres south of the I-295 North ramp.

Why it matters
The project could bring more visitors, event spending and tax revenue to Prince George’s County, giving the local area a larger draw for concerts, live events, hotels, restaurants and nearby businesses.

The big picture
Sphere Entertainment, Peterson Cos., Prince George’s County and Maryland leaders announced the plan in January as the second Sphere in the U.S., following the larger Las Vegas venue.

By the numbers
The venue is smaller than the Las Vegas Sphere but still taller than several local landmarks.

Between the lines
The site’s location near Reagan National Airport means federal review will matter.

The FAA said developers must give the agency a chance to review proposed structures near airports to see whether they could affect aircraft safety or navigation systems.

What’s next
Sphere Entertainment has not filed a formal application yet, but county leaders want the project through the entitlement process by the end of 2026.

The goal is to break ground in late 2027 and open by 2030.

The bottom line
The first site plan gives National Harbor’s Sphere a clearer shape: a smaller but still high-profile venue that could become a major new visitor draw for Prince George’s County.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE→

Reply and let me know what you liked the most and what you’d like to see in next week’s newsletter. See ya!