Chesterfield group has interest in franchise, ballpark
Chesterfield County's SportsQuest, which caters to professional and amateur athletes in Olympic sports, expressed to Minor League Baseball an interest in possibly providing a site for a baseball stadium. SportsQuest also may have interest in becoming part of an ownership group for Richmond's new baseball franchise.
Dr. Steve Burton, SportsQuest's chief executive officer and chairman, said yesterday there have been discussions "at the highest level with the office" of Minor League Baseball. Burton said the primary purpose of those discussions was to ask Minor League Baseball how SportsQuest could "engage Minor League Baseball programming within our campus."
Minor League Baseball does not comment on groups that have expressed interest in franchise ownership or stadium proposals.
SportsQuest owns 250 acres at Powhite Parkway and State Route 288. The campus, whose project cost is estimated at $175 million, includes plans for an ice rink, aquatics center, cycling center, sports medicine clinic, fitness center and family entertainment center. A 6,000-seat arena would be added later with a hotel, retail plaza, tennis facilities and a field house. The campus also will offer an open-water swimming pond to be used for triathlons and other swimming events. The outdoor component is scheduled to have 30 outdoor fields and two indoor fields.
Of Minor League Baseball officials, Burton said "We just wanted to let them know we're an opportunity," and added that he believes a minor-league team would be a good fit on SportsQuest's campus. Burton also said that SportsQuest was waiting for Richmond's baseball situation to further develop, and it is not "driving" toward any deal at this point.
Richmond Baseball Club LC, composed of local investors, last month unsuccessfully tried to close a deal to purchase the Class AA Connecticut Defenders for the purpose of relocating that franchise to Richmond. Scott Poley, Minor League Baseball's vice president for legal affairs, said in an e-mail that majority local ownership for a Richmond franchise still would be possible "if local investors strike a deal, submit an application and receive approval from the baseball governing bodies, and close the transaction."
The city continues to study the $318 million Shockoe Center proposal, which includes a $60 million ballpark. The only other publicly released ballpark plan came from Opening Day Partners, of Annapolis, Md. ODP in the spring of last year submitted a proposal to the city for a $40 million ballpark with a capacity of approximately 8,500. That ballpark could work on Boulevard or some other site, according to Peter Kirk, ODP's chairman.
ODP also is involved in the possible Saturday, July 4, exhibition at The Diamond involving the U.S. Military All-Stars, a group of active military and veterans. Kirk said there could be some resolution on that matter next week.
Contact John O'Connor at (804) 649-6233 or
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Reader Reactions
Great idea! Bring an A or AA team to Chesterfield. Build a 6,000 seat stadium and it will get support. Especially when it is located in the middle of the highest concentration of people in the county.
hm…i think the internet ate my reply - anyways the gist of what I said as follows:
cabbage - thanks for the perspective of the parent that NIMBYs claim woud “never bring their children to the city.“
jk - charlotte needs not squabble over A minor league baseball team because they already have TWO minor league baseball teams (kannapolis-lowA and Charlotte-AAA).
Yes, Charlotte’s AAA is actually located outside the city, a good 12 miles south, actually. And guess what?! its DEAD LAST in attendance. Hmmm….
In fact, one may argue that Charlotte attracted Apple because of the young culture and quality of life it exudes, which could arguably be credited to the fact that they have attracted 3 professional sports franchises recently. Along with its huge airport that serves as a hub for USAirways and rebranding focused on its identity as the Queen City, it has surpassed Richmond as the new/hip southern metropolis.
( wr70beh ) Well one don’t have too live in a basement to know richmond. Every investor who has ever bring sport teams always failed. Who always bail them out is Richmond,henrico and chesterfield tax payers which is called the RMA to help fund there ideas and plans. Theres not enough baseball fans in the population growth area that would surport it consantly to make money. You have to have consantly large corporations spending comercial dollars investing in there products every night in that stadium to survive. Only thing richmond area has is walmart,mcdonald’s,lowes and home depot. Then you need big time ball players coming in every week to get the fans there for autographs. Only way richmond can ever pull it off is big time corporations and big time players to invest in richmond. Its about making money and consant reinvestment.
Rain: you really need to come out of your basement once in a while. Everything you’ve said really doesn’t make sense. Richmond has supported baseball in the past, but thanks to the Braves ineptness the interest waned. If marketed right, baseball can thrive in this region.
I gather from your message that you won’t be going to any games. That’s OK. We won’t need your support. You can live in fear of everything in your basement and never go anywhere.
Chesterfield County tax payers already had to buyout cloverleaf mall. Over and over in many years it has been proven small sport teams will not survive in this area. Chesterfield County largest roadway 288 is already a disaster in very needed repair with large chunks of concrete road surface breaking apart everyday. midlothian and hull streets already over burden with traffic issues.. Ballparks will only bring street crime,drugs, violence to family nieghborhoods with no street lights. Land value and property taxes will only be destroy with a empty stadium in 2 years. People come to chesterfield to raise familes,safe nieghborhoods,good schools and parks for there familes from little league to adult leagues to play baseball or softball. We are doing just fine in chesterfield with our leagues with games everyday or night played for citizens to watch free…
While the local debate rages regarding a rinky-dink entertainmant facility, the city of Charlotte announced Apple corporation will be building a facility with a projected economic impact of 1 billion dollars over the next 10 years and projecting 3,200 jobs related to this project. One presumes the new jobs will be paying significantly more than what the poor schmoes earn hawking peanuts and beer at a minor league ballpark.
Thermolok said “....It’s very clear that in order for baseball to thrive in this region you must move the stadium or complex out of Richmond and then you will see it take off….. This is just common sense. This is where the fans are and this is where the money is….People would be more comfortable bringing their families to this cite as opposed to taking them to downtown Richmond.“
Most minor league cities have put their ballparks downtown. I have absolutely no qualms about taking my nine year old son to a ballpark in downtown Richmond…Suburbanites seem to have this irrational fear about Richmond…Nothing will happen to your youngins. We’ll simply have police officers packin’ heat within a half mile radius - Will that suit your needs?
Its about time somebody came to their senses and figured out that most of the people attending these games are from outside the city limits of Richmond. Its families from Chesterfield,Henrico and the TriCities that have this profound love for baseball. Its not from the citizens of Richmond. By the way, who appointed Richmond as the cite for all baseball in this region? They can’t even govern their city in a responsible manner much less host a viable baseball team. Its very clear that in order for baseball to thrive in this region you must move the stadium or complex out of Richmond and then you will see it take off. I had always wondered why the complex was not put at the border somewhere between Chesterfield and Henrico? This is just common sense. This is where the fans are and this is where the money is….People would be more comfortable bring their families to this cite as opposed to taking them to downtown Richmond.
bw - I agree. The Sports Quest is no farther from Midlothian to ShortPump than ShortPump is to Midlothian. I recently VOLUNTEERED my time and DROVE ACROSS THE RIVER to work a charity event at Short Pump mall. Being too lazy to ‘cross the river’ is not an excuse in my mind.
Hey, I moved to Short Pump WAAAY before Short Pump was cool (1985), and instead of WAAAY overpaying for my residence, I made fortunes. So, sure, I like Short Pump because investing before the sprawl made me tons of money. I would have nothing to do with any of it today. Just a bunch of followers and no leaders there.
TO MIKEYT YOU SILLY BOY…I never said anything about being willing to collect taxes from anyone. If Chesterfield receives tax revenue from a stadium or any other business venture, how in the world would I as an individual who is NOT invested in this idea ever receive a dime?
But a sports complex IS a sports complex and as far as I know, no taxpayer dollars have gone towards this venture, and it seems logical that a sports venue for baseball might be located at a dedicated SPORTS complex, as long as none of it involves putting taxpayer dollars at risk to do so.
What’s your beef? You have an interest in Shockoe Bottom and are watching the sky fall? Too bad.
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