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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I just find it hilarious that some posters act like the intersection of 288/Powhite is somehow on the other side of the world from Richmond or in the boonies.
Have you been to that area? The 360 and 60 corridors which are both less then 5 miles from that site are growing at very fast rates. This also allows great access for those living in the heavily populated West End/Short Pump area of henrico to get to the stadium easily via 288 as well as those in the tri cities.
The idea of a ballpark anywhere in Richmond City is dead. There is no viable plan for a site anywhere without major subsidies (i.e., “backing”) from the City. It ain’t going to happen, period, end of story, so arguments about whether it should be on the Boulevard, in the Bottom, or anyplace within the City’s jurisdiction are moot.
If an AA or A team is to come to the Richmond area, it will be with a set of investors who can get a ballpark built without taxpayers being on the hook.
Everyone, just look at the condition of local budgets.
I agree with dogtown. The city does not need any more financial strain on its budget. The city has too many emergency/urgent needs now to take care of.
At Main at 8th the street caved in requiring emergency repair, many of the streets are in dire need of scraping and repaving. Several city schools need to be built to replace the current aging and dilapidated buildings. Social services is strained due to the economy, etc., etc.
No ball park, no ball team UNLESS it is supported by private donations. NO CITY TAXES FOR THIS BALL PARK, WHERE EVER IT’S BUILT.
I thought this issue was over and done for good.
If there is to be a stadium built in Richmond, it should absolutely be built and operated ONLY with private funds.
One need not look very hard to see that critically pressing needs in the City require all the city’s credit capacity, and probably more, and addressing them must not be delayed to underwrite private business ventures.
City taxes, utility rates, utility fees (taxes in effect, but not deductible), and a new storm water utility fee (another tax in effect, but not tax deductible) all significantly exceed those of surrounding jurisdictions which (A)are generally more affluent, (B) are not responsible for providing fire, police,and other services to an enormous number of tax-exempt Federal and State government facilities, and (C)generally have a lighter social-services load.
A few of these pressing needs include:
1. The City is under EPA mandates, and has been for years, to remedy substandard sewer deficiencies.
2. The City is under Court order to remedy ADA deficiencies in public schools.
3. Many public school buildings are barely habitable.
4. Road and utility infrastructures are in very poor condition, extremely old, and many barely serviceable.
5. A development organization formed to build parking facilities to support Broad Street has (a) been unable to build intended facilities and (b) recently discovered its revenue is inadequate to support bonded indebtedness- leaving Richmond Taxpayers holding another empty bag.
6. Hundreds of thousands of dollars are owed the City by the RMA,
City taxpayers ABSOLUTELY CANNOT afford to subsidize a minor league team or a new ballpark all of which are for-profit private enterprises.
Also, Here’s what I know about the Manchester location:
...located 6th and Bainbridge Streets in South Richmond
...just south of the James River
about two miles from Shockoe Bottom (and the proposed Shockoe Center)
...location of the The Richmond Foil Plant (closing before September)
...assessed value is about $12 million
...an aerial view of this location can be easily seen at: http://www.bing.com/maps/ and view the area between the 14th Street Bridge (Mayo Bridge) and the 9th Street Bridge (Manchester Bridge) - south of the River
Left Field…Thanks for responding. The ideal orientation for a ballpark is north by northeast which is what you see in the image shown in the previous post. Western orientation would cause the batter to be looking directly into a setting sun (until recently, former state champion James River High School’s field had that problem!)
The Shockoe Center project has little or no view of anything. Also, the Fulton Gas Works location, proposed a few years ago, had an even more terrible view….looking directly into Fulton Hill, with absolutely no view of the nearby river.
That actually does look nice, cabbage, assuming the ballpark would be allowed to face that direction - I admit that I have no idea which way they are required to face. Even so, you may have something there.
Anybody have any idea what the hang-up is on that spot availability-wise??
I personally have not gone out on the southside…ever. I admit that the first thing that comes to mind is that its rundown and unsafe, but that is not from direct observation, just my perception (don’t tear me apart for that one, just being honest).
You guys knew it was just a matter of time before I threw out the Manchester Site again….Take a hard look at the stunning view: http://stuneal.com/db3/00247/stuneal.com/_uimages/RichmondSkyline15.jpg
On a previous thread Baseballfan12 said “For instance - I don’t disagree with Cabbage’s passionate pursuit of a stadium in Manchester. I think there are many positives to that location - far more than the Boulevard. But people are terrified of the ‘South Side’ because they haven’t been there in 10 years. I drove through there for the first time in 2 months and I was shocked at how much has progressed.“
Are people truly terrified of Southside? I do my 7 mile run right through Old Manchester almost every Sunday morning….It’s a fabulous area. Robin Miller and Monroe Properties is really making it happen there. Go to Legend Brewery and sit on the deck. Envision the ballpark a few yards from where you are sitting (between Legends and the Mayo Bridge). I do it every week - my pipe dream. But it would be stunning - maybe the best view of ANY minor league park….rivaling PNC Park in Pittsburgh…check out their vision that became a reality!:
http://z.about.com/d/pittsburgh/1/7/W/h/pnc_park_view.jpg
Dang, people, respond :-)
Left Field - Agreed, it would be pure stupidity to even try to have 2 teams in Richmond. Atlanta can support it b/c their metro is about 5x the size of Richmond. Not to mention it’s in Gwinnett which is a long hike from the A-Braves, especially in ATL traffic. I think a lot more people would support a redone Diamond than a site way out in Chesterfield.
The Sports Quest site is near 288 and Powhite. Hardly a long drive from much of Henrico, except for the Mechanicsville “Aliens”(Ole WRVA reference). And I also recall Sports Quest has not asked for County funding on the Olympic sports facility that are working on currently. (ptaylor-20 minutes from SQ site to Short Pump on a Sat. morning? I think you took the long route? Not sure how I feel yet on this but wanted to throw in a couple items to consider.
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