There is no serious discussion of a baseball facility for the 30-acre site that is home to the University of Richmond Stadium. More football and soccer seem probable there.
Fifth District Councilman E. Martin Jewell, whose district includes the stadium, said yesterday he hopes the site continues as a football and soccer venue following the Spiders' transfer of home football games to a campus facility in 2010. Jewell said that is also the desire of UR Stadium's neighbors.
The school is building a facility on the footprint of First Market Stadium, adjacent to the Robins Center.
Jewell suspects UR Stadium, with a capacity of 21,319 and near Carytown, will revert to its former name, City Stadium. He added there is "a bunch of interest" from potential tenants.
The Richmond Kickers, a professional soccer franchise, would like to continue playing home games there, according to Jewell. Richmond Public Schools wants to use the facility for football. Of the five city public high schools, only Huguenot and Armstrong have the capability of night home games on school grounds.
"A football program makes its money at night, when parents are off and folks buy tickets," said Jewell.
Jewell said Benedictine High School and the Virginia Hornets, a semipro team, also want to play football at UR Stadium, which has a top-of-the-line grass field installed by UR in 1994. Benedictine plays home games in Goochland County. The Hornets play home games at Armstrong High.
UR Stadium has been home to Spiders' football since 1929. It was called City Stadium before 1983. The city owns the facility and surrounding land, leasing it to UR for $1 a year since 1983. UR is responsible for upkeep and improvements.
In 2002, an outside appraiser was hired by the city to recommend whether there was better use for the property, a move that intensified UR's exploration of an on-campus stadium. UR announced in May of 2003 that it would pursue the expansion of First Market Stadium to accommodate football.
Construction on the 8,700-seat, on-campus project started last year and is progressing well, according to Spiders athletic director Jim Miller. A detour that directs vehicles about 50 feet away from construction was activated a couple of weeks ago and will be in effect "until probably this time next year," according to UR architect Andrew McBride.
Construction cost is estimated at $25 million. The facility's name may change between now and the time the Spiders take the field for the 2010 home opener. "It's First Market Stadium right now. That's where we are," Miller said.
Despite construction, Spiders' football will continue practicing on that facility's FieldTurf, installed for $750,000 in 2004. Some Spiders' sports will require new homes for games because no lights will be available during construction.
According to David Walsh, UR's deputy athletic director, men's and women's soccer will play home games this coming fall at Ukrop Park at Chippenham Parkway and Iron Bridge Road. The one track meet the Spiders host in 2010 will probably be at Sports Backers Stadium. Women's lacrosse will play next spring at UR Stadium.
Contact John O'Connor at (804) 649-6233 or joconnor@timesdispatch.com.
Email
Facebook
Google
Twitter
Favorites
More
Advertisement