Richmond council supports ballpark bills

Richmond officials aren't ready to go to bat for a ballpark in Shockoe Bottom, but they are supporting state legislation that could help get it built.

With a show of hands, a majority of the Richmond City Council signaled yesterday its support for bills introduced by Del. G. Manoli Loupassi, R-Richmond, and Sen. A. Donald McEachin, D-Henrico.

The legislation, which could be discussed by a General Assembly committee as early as tomorrow, would allow a minor-league ballpark to be financed in part with revenues from the 5 percent state and local sales tax generated from the facility and from new private buildings attached to it.

The informal council vote was based on an expectation that the bills will be amended to allow the financing to apply to either a new ballpark or to improvements to The Diamond on North Boulevard.

Council members emphasized that their support should not be construed as an endorsement of the $363 million Shockoe Center development, which also would include hotels, restaurants, retail, offices and residences.

"This is just letting it go into the marketplace of ideas," Councilman Chris A. Hilbert said.

Loupassi had warned that the ballpark-financing bills wouldn't get far with lawmakers without city support.

In an interview, Mayor Dwight C. Jones said he's comfortable with the legislation moving forward, but added that his administration is still reviewing the Shockoe Center proposal. A team of developers led by Highwoods Properties is hoping to get preliminary approval from the Jones administration by March 1, allowing a private ownership group to pursue buying a team.

"We will not be rushed into a decision," Jones said.

The council also gave informal support for bills that would allow the city and Chesterfield County, and perhaps other localities, to set up a regional authority to fund transportation projects. Jones said he needs to look at the details before he can give an opinion.

Regional officials have discussed creating such an authority for more than a year, but some area localities have said they would not participate.

Council members also discussed the process they'll follow to appoint a new council representative for the 7th District. Twelve people applied for the position, vacated this month after Councilwoman Delores L. McQuinn won a special election to the House of Delegates.

Council President Kathy C. Graziano reversed herself and said candidate interviews will be conducted as part of a closed meeting next Monday. She said an open process might not be fair if some questions ended up being leaked to candidates scheduled for later interviews.

Hilbert called for keeping the meeting open in the spirit of transparency, but he and Councilman Charles R. Samuels were outvoted in a show of hands.

Contact Will Jones at (804) 649-6911 or .