Two weeks before what’s slated to be the 40th – and final – Opening Day at The Diamond, officials with the Flying Squirrels and the City of Richmond got a closer look at the new ballpark that’s taking shape beside it and is on track to replace it this time next year.
Mayor Danny Avula and City Councilmembers Katherine Jordan and Cynthia Newbille were among the group given a tour Thursday morning of the under-construction CarMax Park, which is approaching its topping-off point for steelwork.
Joining them were Flying Squirrels COO Ben Rothrock and President Lou DiBella, who said he’s thrilled with how the project is coming along.
“When you see steel and concrete, it becomes very real,” DiBella said after the tour. “Every time I come here and see the progress, it feels very good.”
Richmond Mayor Danny Avula, center, on the tour with Flying Squirrels President Lou DiBella, left, and project manager Patrick Albrecht. (Jonathan Spiers photos)
Leading the tour was Patrick Albrecht, the project manager for contractor Gilbane Building Co. He said the 10,000-capacity stadium, which has been projected to cost $117 million, is four weeks away from completing primary steelwork, save for the scoreboard structure. A topping-off ceremony is planned for April 17.
“It’s going to start looking, externally, more and more like a ballpark pretty quickly after we top it off,” DiBella added.
Albrecht said crews are placing the seating bowl at field level, below the suites that will make up the stadium’s upper level. He said the structure will be wrapped with precast metal panels to create conditioned space so that work can start on interior finishes.
The ballpark is designed to provide a 360-degree experience for attendees, with amenities around the entirety of the field. Those are to include an outfield play area for children and families, terraced lawn seating, a beer garden, party deck, barbecue picnic area, and an east-side main entrance opening out to a park for the larger Diamond District development.
The future CarMax Park. (File image courtesy Richmond Flying Squirrels)
DiBella said he is happy that CarMax Park will be the first part of the Diamond District to open. The ballpark is the anchor of the 67-acre mixed-use development being headed by Diamond District Partners, a group led by local firm Thalhimer Realty Partners.
“It feels good to know that we’re going to be the first thing up and running here, that this ballpark’s going to be a centerpiece of a new neighborhood,” DiBella said.
“That neighborhood’s going to grow around us. I think when people see what this is, it’s going to be an incredible enticement to people to live in this area, to want to have their kids go to school in this area. I think we’re going to create a tremendous part of Richmond in this neighborhood.”
Leading the ballpark’s development are the Squirrels and Machete Group, a Houston-based firm that’s been advising the minor league ballclub on the project. Gilbane is working with Prestige Construction Group on the build, and LaBella Associates and KEi Architects led the design.
The group is aiming to open CarMax Park in time for the 2026 season, to comply with facility standards Major League Baseball has required of all pro baseball venues.
A recent aerial shot of the CarMax Park construction. (SkyShots Photography)
DiBella acknowledged the project’s budget may end up higher than the $117 million spelled out in the Squirrels’ development agreement with the city’s Economic Development Authority, which will own the stadium and lease it to the ballclub. The agreement was part of a deal worked out between the Squirrels and the city, in which the initial $117 million is paid for by city bonds, while the team agreed to cover any cost overages.
Describing budgets as “always a little bit fluid,” DiBella said Thursday: “I can’t tell you exactly what the budget’s going to be, and I’m not overly concerned about it, honestly.
“My greater concern right now is to deliver a park that everybody in this town that can be proud of, to deliver a park that Major League Baseball will hold out to other people as a standard for minor-league baseball ballparks,” he said. “That’s more important to me than whether I spend an extra dollar or two, or million.”
DiBella speaking with reporters after Thursday’s tour.
The Squirrels will pay $3.2 million in annual rent for each of the first 10 years of a 30-year lease, with lower rents in subsequent years. The overall rent payment over the 30-year lease totals $66 million, which DiBella has said is among the highest leases in Minor League Baseball.
With this year’s season marking the 40th year of baseball at The Diamond, DiBella, who has criticized the aging facility for years, admitted that he will miss some things about The Diamond. Among them: Parney’s Pub, the private lounge of the Squirrels’ semiretired Todd “Parney” Parnell.
“I make fun of the park constantly, but I’m going to miss The Diamond,” DiBella said. “We’ve had a lot of good times in the park, and we made a lot of good memories in the park.”
Two weeks before what’s slated to be the 40th – and final – Opening Day at The Diamond, officials with the Flying Squirrels and the City of Richmond got a closer look at the new ballpark that’s taking shape beside it and is on track to replace it this time next year.
Mayor Danny Avula and City Councilmembers Katherine Jordan and Cynthia Newbille were among the group given a tour Thursday morning of the under-construction CarMax Park, which is approaching its topping-off point for steelwork.
Joining them were Flying Squirrels COO Ben Rothrock and President Lou DiBella, who said he’s thrilled with how the project is coming along.
“When you see steel and concrete, it becomes very real,” DiBella said after the tour. “Every time I come here and see the progress, it feels very good.”
Richmond Mayor Danny Avula, center, on the tour with Flying Squirrels President Lou DiBella, left, and project manager Patrick Albrecht. (Jonathan Spiers photos)
Leading the tour was Patrick Albrecht, the project manager for contractor Gilbane Building Co. He said the 10,000-capacity stadium, which has been projected to cost $117 million, is four weeks away from completing primary steelwork, save for the scoreboard structure. A topping-off ceremony is planned for April 17.
“It’s going to start looking, externally, more and more like a ballpark pretty quickly after we top it off,” DiBella added.
Albrecht said crews are placing the seating bowl at field level, below the suites that will make up the stadium’s upper level. He said the structure will be wrapped with precast metal panels to create conditioned space so that work can start on interior finishes.
The ballpark is designed to provide a 360-degree experience for attendees, with amenities around the entirety of the field. Those are to include an outfield play area for children and families, terraced lawn seating, a beer garden, party deck, barbecue picnic area, and an east-side main entrance opening out to a park for the larger Diamond District development.
The future CarMax Park. (File image courtesy Richmond Flying Squirrels)
DiBella said he is happy that CarMax Park will be the first part of the Diamond District to open. The ballpark is the anchor of the 67-acre mixed-use development being headed by Diamond District Partners, a group led by local firm Thalhimer Realty Partners.
“It feels good to know that we’re going to be the first thing up and running here, that this ballpark’s going to be a centerpiece of a new neighborhood,” DiBella said.
“That neighborhood’s going to grow around us. I think when people see what this is, it’s going to be an incredible enticement to people to live in this area, to want to have their kids go to school in this area. I think we’re going to create a tremendous part of Richmond in this neighborhood.”
Leading the ballpark’s development are the Squirrels and Machete Group, a Houston-based firm that’s been advising the minor league ballclub on the project. Gilbane is working with Prestige Construction Group on the build, and LaBella Associates and KEi Architects led the design.
The group is aiming to open CarMax Park in time for the 2026 season, to comply with facility standards Major League Baseball has required of all pro baseball venues.
A recent aerial shot of the CarMax Park construction. (SkyShots Photography)
DiBella acknowledged the project’s budget may end up higher than the $117 million spelled out in the Squirrels’ development agreement with the city’s Economic Development Authority, which will own the stadium and lease it to the ballclub. The agreement was part of a deal worked out between the Squirrels and the city, in which the initial $117 million is paid for by city bonds, while the team agreed to cover any cost overages.
Describing budgets as “always a little bit fluid,” DiBella said Thursday: “I can’t tell you exactly what the budget’s going to be, and I’m not overly concerned about it, honestly.
“My greater concern right now is to deliver a park that everybody in this town that can be proud of, to deliver a park that Major League Baseball will hold out to other people as a standard for minor-league baseball ballparks,” he said. “That’s more important to me than whether I spend an extra dollar or two, or million.”
DiBella speaking with reporters after Thursday’s tour.
The Squirrels will pay $3.2 million in annual rent for each of the first 10 years of a 30-year lease, with lower rents in subsequent years. The overall rent payment over the 30-year lease totals $66 million, which DiBella has said is among the highest leases in Minor League Baseball.
With this year’s season marking the 40th year of baseball at The Diamond, DiBella, who has criticized the aging facility for years, admitted that he will miss some things about The Diamond. Among them: Parney’s Pub, the private lounge of the Squirrels’ semiretired Todd “Parney” Parnell.
“I make fun of the park constantly, but I’m going to miss The Diamond,” DiBella said. “We’ve had a lot of good times in the park, and we made a lot of good memories in the park.”
This story is for our paid subscribers only. Please become one of the thousands of BizSense Pro readers today!
Your subscription has expired. Renew now by choosing a subscription below!
For more informaiton, head over to your profile.
SUBSCRIBE NOW
TERMS OF SERVICE:
ALL MEMBERSHIPS RENEW AUTOMATICALLY. YOU WILL BE CHARGED FOR A 1 YEAR MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL AT THE RATE IN EFFECT AT THAT TIME UNLESS YOU CANCEL YOUR MEMBERSHIP BY LOGGING IN OR BY CONTACTING SUPPORT@BUSINESSDEN.COM.
ALL CHARGES FOR MONTHLY OR ANNUAL MEMBERSHIPS ARE NONREFUNDABLE.
EACH MEMBERSHIP WILL ONLY FUNCTION ON UP TO 3 MACHINES. ACCOUNTS ABUSING THAT LIMIT WILL BE DISCONTINUED.
FOR ASSISTANCE WITH YOUR MEMBERSHIP PLEASE EMAIL SUPPORT@BUSINESSDEN.COM
Already a Member? Sign in
Return to Homepage
It took way too long to get here (RIP Richmond Braves) but it’s nice that we are finally seeing a new stadium rise. Best of luck to the Squirrels in their new home.
I agree but if we could ever bring back the Braves. That would a dream come true
I prefer the Squirrels, they have been much more fan-focused than the Braves.
I loved the R Braves. I wish they had never left town. But when it comes to promotions and entertainment, the Squirrels do a much better job. When I would attend Braves games especially their last couple of years here, it was more like a mausoleum than a ballpark.
Rolling rolling!
Going to be interesting to see how it all develops. With no real start date for the construction around the stadium, major cut to federal dollars that will trickle down to the local budget, and a pending recession I hope extra cost of the bonds doesn’t hurt the city’s ability to continue to do other important capital projects.
I would love to know why the Squirrels declined an invitation to the Biz Sense Diamond District update earlier this week. They almost never meet an opportunity to mingle, especially when the ball park is a focal point of the Diamond District, so my take is that they have a beef with someone.