Upgrades at The Diamond allow time to choose major renovation or new ballpark
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Chuck Domino, the chief executive manager of Richmond's Class AA franchise, has been in the baseball industry for nearly 30 years. One thing struck him when he laid eyes on The Diamond.
"This stadium was built upside down," Domino said.
About 8,800 of the facility's 12,134 seats are in the upper deck. Domino also noticed almost immediately that concourses are too narrow, and there aren't enough rest rooms and concession stands to accommodate a large crowd.
"There are certain things you can't change," Domino said.
There are other things the franchise believes can be, and should be, changed. Before opening day next season, club operators will invest about $1.5 million for upgrades. The Richmond Metropolitan Authority, which owns and operates The Diamond, will contribute another $75,500 toward improvements. The significant investment suggests that The Diamond, in a modified form, will be the home to Richmond's team at least for several years.
The RMA and the franchise agreed to a two-year lease for use of The Diamond, with three one-year renewals possible. During the period to which the lease applies, the RMA and the franchise will explore the possibilities of a major renovation of The Diamond and a new ballpark, at that site or elsewhere.
"I think all of us understand that the jurisdictions, as well as the whole nation, are going through some difficult economic times. This is not the appropriate time for boards of supervisors and city council to discuss commitments of funds for a renovated or new stadium," said James L. Jenkins, chairman of the RMA board of directors.
"This gives us adequate time to get past these times and back to a more normal economic environment."
Upgrades planned by the franchise include, but are not limited to: front office and clubhouses renovations, 3,200 box seats for the lower deck, a new marquis on the Boulevard, a new video board, an indoor batting cage, laundry equipment, concessions equipment, and a weight room for players with aerobic workout equipment.
"Right now, the conversation is 'Let's get the improvements that are being committed to and are under way, and get that done. Let's play ball,'" Jenkins said. "But then, having gotten the organization put together, having gotten the team [operating], take time to look at what the prospects are, what the costs are [of a new stadium or major renovation], and to be able to meet with the jurisdictions.
"New or renovated, it's going to happen at some point, but not right now."
Two major renovation plans exist. The RMA and the Richmond Braves formulated the first in 2003. The Braves asked for a delay to study the possibility of a downtown stadium. That $18.5 million renovation never started. Also, Opening Day Partners on June 9 submitted a $28 million renovation plan to the RMA, the city, and surrounding counties. Peter Kirk, ODP's chairman, said he has not been invited to discuss that plan with area officials, though he added he would "welcome the opportunity to come and explain it."
Domino said the franchise could make additional improvements at The Diamond following the 2010 season. He doesn't want the franchise's willingness to upgrade The Diamond, however, to be interpreted as operators' satisfaction with the facility as a long-term solution. Some of the improvements, such as lower-deck seats, video board, front office furniture, and concession equipment, could be transferred to a new venue.
"Once you start getting into major renovations, then you really have to weigh the pros and cons. It's a fine line," Domino said. "But we have to operate this the only way we know how, and that's the best we can.
"We didn't want people to think that we're just doing the absolute necessary things because we can't wait to get out of here. I'd be doing a disservice to the San Francisco Giants [the parent club] and the fans of this area if we didn't give our 100-percent best effort in this facility."
Contact John O'Connor at (804) 649-6233 or
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Richmond's 2010 home schedule
April: 15, Reading, 7:05; 16, Reading, 7:05; 17, Reading, 6:35; 18, Reading, 2:05; 19, New Britain, 7:05; 20, New Britain, 7:05; 21, New Britain, 7:05; 30, Bowie, 7:05May: 1, Bowie, 6:35; 2, Bowie, 2:05; 3, Altoona, 7:05; 4, Altoona, 7:05; 5, Altoona, 7:05; 6, Altoona, 11:35; 13, Altoona, 7:05; 14, Altoona, 7:05; 15, Altoona, 6:35; 16, Altoona, 2:05; 18, Erie, 7:05; 19, Erie, 7:05; 20, Erie, 11:35; 28, Bowie, 7:05; 29, Bowie, 6:35; 30, Bowie, 6:35; 31, Bowie, 7:05
June: 1, Harrisburg, 7:05; 2, Harrisburg, 7:05; 3, Harrisburg, 7:05; 8, New Britain, 7:05; 9, New Britain, 7:05; 10, New Britain, 7:05; 15, Binghamton, 7:05; 16, Binghamton, 7:05; 17, Binghamton, 7:05; 18, Altoona, 7:05; 19, Altoona, 6:35; 20, Altoona, 5:05; 28, Akron, 7:05; 29, Akron, 7:05; 30, Akron, 7:05
July: 1, Erie, 7:05; 2, Erie, 7:05; 3, Erie, 6:35; 4, Erie, 6:35; 15, Bowie, 7:05; 16, Bowie, 7:05; 17, Bowie, 6:35; 18, Bowie, 5:05; 19, Trenton, 7:05; 20, Trenton, 7:05; 21, Trenton, 12:05; 26, Reading, 7:05; 27, Reading, 7:05; 28, Reading, 7:05; 29, Altoona, 7:05; 30, Altoona, 7:05; 31, Altoona, 6:35
August: 1, Altoona, 5:05; 10, New Hampshire, 7:05; 11, New Hampshire, 7:05; 12, New Hampshire, 7:05; 13, Portland, 7:05; 14, Portland, 6:35; 15, Portland, 5:05; 23, Reading, 7:05; 24, Reading, 7:05; 25, Reading, 7:05
September: 3, Bowie, 7:05; 4, Bowie, 6:35; 5, Bowie, 5:05;
6, Bowie, 12:05
The complete schedule should be available in about two weeks. For more information, go to http://www.richmondprobaseball.com or call (804) 359-1008.
Eastern League teams: Akron Aeros (Indians); Altoona Curve (Pirates); Binghamton Mets (Mets); Bowie Baysox (Orioles); Erie SeaWolves (Tigers); Harrisburg Senators (Nationals); New Britain Rock Cats (Twins); New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Blue Jays); Portland Sea Dogs (Red Sox); Reading Phillies (Phillies); Richmond (Giants); Trenton Thunder (Yankees)Advertisement
Reader Reactions
One of the Ideas that is floating around is put in more seating to include foul territory and out field seating, this does not mean that the only cheap seats will be in the out field, because the plans also call for the current upper deck to become club level seating, with a true upper deck above that. Also actual concessions, not mom and pop concessions, as well as renovating both clubhouses.
I agree with most of the problems listed by Domino but not so much about the placement of seating. I’d much rather be in the upper deck along the basepaths than close to the field out in the outfield. And let’s be honest - the upper deck at the Diamond is not really that high, at least not compared to a major league park. If the only cheap seats are out in the outfield somewhere, that would be a major downgrade, in my opinion.
Fixing the concessions and restrooms should be a priority. I guess there’s nothing that can be done to open up the concourse and concession area to the field like is done at Norfolk’s stadium and so many other places these days, but if the concessions were at least run efficiently by trained employees rather than band parent volunteers or whatever, fans wouldn’t have to miss so much of the game.
This may seem like a minor detail, but please put kid size urinals in the men’s rooms. This was a major aggravation for years. The urinals were too tall for kids, leaving the stalls as the only option. By the third inning, the stalls were uninhabitable because of…..well, use your imagination.
I would also ditch the policy against bringing in all food and drink. The major league stadiums I’ve attended don’t have this policy; why does the Diamond? It’s not a family-friendly policy. If you have decent concessions at a semi-reasonable price, people will buy them in large quantities. But forcing people to spend large amounts of money and miss large portions of the game simply to keep their kids from becoming dehydrated is bad policy.
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