Slavery museum site study back on City Council committee agenda
Richmond City Council meets in a special session Monday coinciding with a 4 p.m. meeting of its Organizational Development Standing Committee.
The sole item on the special meeting agenda is introduction of ordinances regarding uses and allocation of council district funds.
On the committee agenda and continued from previous meetings is a request for a feasibility study of potential locations for a planned national slavery museum, which would anchor the likewise in-the-works Shockoe Bottom Heritage Campus, now called The Shockoe Project.
The full agendas can be found here.
Richmond EDA signs off on $40M infrastructure bonds for Diamond District
In a special meeting last week, the Richmond Economic Development Authority Board of Directors approved its part of a cooperation agreement with the City of Richmond for development of the Diamond District project and authorized the issuance of $40 million in bonds to fund infrastructure improvements for the development’s first phase.
The lease revenue bonds are part of $170 million in bonds being issued for the ballpark-anchored project that will include a replacement for The Diamond. Richmond City Council previously authorized the issuance of $130 million in stadium bonds to fund the new ballpark, which would be repaid using tax revenue generated by the new development.
Council’s bond authorization has prompted a lawsuit from local activist Paul Goldman, who has called for the bonds to be decided through a referendum of city voters. A hearing in that case has been scheduled for this Friday.
Chesterfield to hold ribbon cutting for revamped ballpark facility this week
Chesterfield County plans to mark the grand opening of The Diamonds at Iron Bridge with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the site at 1:30 p.m. on Friday.
The new branding of the baseball and softball facility at Harry G. Daniel Park was unveiled in May. Chesterfield officials hope to make the venue more attractive to tournament organizers and thereby support the county’s sports tourism industry with $5 million worth of improvements.
“This destination complex will be one of the jewels of sports tourism in Chesterfield,” J. C. Poma, director of the county’s sports, visitation and entertainment department, said in a news release. “The Diamonds at Iron Bridge will become synonymous with excellence for both our residents and visitors who come here from across the country for tournaments.”
Renovation of the Daniel Park fields started in the fall, and include regrading play surfaces, replacing outfield fencing, improved spectator seating and dugouts, as well as the creation of a championship field with covered seating and an enclosed press box for high-profile games, among other improvements, according to a county news release in mid-May, which described the project as still ongoing.
Chesterfield maintains Triple AAA bond rating
Chesterfield County announced last week that it received the highest possible bond rating from the country’s three major ratings agencies for the 28th year in a row.
The county has maintained its Triple AAA bond rating after receiving high marks from Moody’s, Fitch Ratings and Standard & Poor’s. A bond rating is similar to a person’s credit score, and a higher bond means it’s less expensive to borrow money.
“We have remained extremely protective of the rating and with good reason, as we recognize the immense benefit our local government receives from being able to borrow funds for capital projects at the lowest available interest rates,” Board of Supervisors chairman Jim Holland said in a prepared statement.
The county earned its first Triple AAA rating in 1997.
Slavery museum site study back on City Council committee agenda
Richmond City Council meets in a special session Monday coinciding with a 4 p.m. meeting of its Organizational Development Standing Committee.
The sole item on the special meeting agenda is introduction of ordinances regarding uses and allocation of council district funds.
On the committee agenda and continued from previous meetings is a request for a feasibility study of potential locations for a planned national slavery museum, which would anchor the likewise in-the-works Shockoe Bottom Heritage Campus, now called The Shockoe Project.
The full agendas can be found here.
Richmond EDA signs off on $40M infrastructure bonds for Diamond District
In a special meeting last week, the Richmond Economic Development Authority Board of Directors approved its part of a cooperation agreement with the City of Richmond for development of the Diamond District project and authorized the issuance of $40 million in bonds to fund infrastructure improvements for the development’s first phase.
The lease revenue bonds are part of $170 million in bonds being issued for the ballpark-anchored project that will include a replacement for The Diamond. Richmond City Council previously authorized the issuance of $130 million in stadium bonds to fund the new ballpark, which would be repaid using tax revenue generated by the new development.
Council’s bond authorization has prompted a lawsuit from local activist Paul Goldman, who has called for the bonds to be decided through a referendum of city voters. A hearing in that case has been scheduled for this Friday.
Chesterfield to hold ribbon cutting for revamped ballpark facility this week
Chesterfield County plans to mark the grand opening of The Diamonds at Iron Bridge with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the site at 1:30 p.m. on Friday.
The new branding of the baseball and softball facility at Harry G. Daniel Park was unveiled in May. Chesterfield officials hope to make the venue more attractive to tournament organizers and thereby support the county’s sports tourism industry with $5 million worth of improvements.
“This destination complex will be one of the jewels of sports tourism in Chesterfield,” J. C. Poma, director of the county’s sports, visitation and entertainment department, said in a news release. “The Diamonds at Iron Bridge will become synonymous with excellence for both our residents and visitors who come here from across the country for tournaments.”
Renovation of the Daniel Park fields started in the fall, and include regrading play surfaces, replacing outfield fencing, improved spectator seating and dugouts, as well as the creation of a championship field with covered seating and an enclosed press box for high-profile games, among other improvements, according to a county news release in mid-May, which described the project as still ongoing.
Chesterfield maintains Triple AAA bond rating
Chesterfield County announced last week that it received the highest possible bond rating from the country’s three major ratings agencies for the 28th year in a row.
The county has maintained its Triple AAA bond rating after receiving high marks from Moody’s, Fitch Ratings and Standard & Poor’s. A bond rating is similar to a person’s credit score, and a higher bond means it’s less expensive to borrow money.
“We have remained extremely protective of the rating and with good reason, as we recognize the immense benefit our local government receives from being able to borrow funds for capital projects at the lowest available interest rates,” Board of Supervisors chairman Jim Holland said in a prepared statement.
The county earned its first Triple AAA rating in 1997.