Richmond's biggest bank is about to get a lot bigger, with a deal that will create a $39 billion regional behemoth that spans the coveted "Golden Crescent."

Atlantic Union Bankshares Corporation is acquiring Sandy Spring Bancorp in an all-stock transaction that values Sandy Spring at about $1.6 billion. The two companies made the announcement Oct. 21. The

Atlantic Union Bank is expanding further into Northern Virginia and Maryland with the $1.6 billion purchase of Maryland’s Sandy Spring Bank, an acquisition announced Monday. The two banks’ parent companies,