About five months into the long-awaited project, construction for the new CarMax Park baseball stadium is in full swing and on track for its targeted opening in 2026.
Crews with contractor Gilbane Building Co. gave a tour of the construction site Thursday morning to Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney and other city officials. The visit was part of Stoney’s “Faring Well” tour of projects across the city as his mayoral term comes to a close.
A rendering of the future CarMax Park. (BizSense file)
Gilbane is building the new ballpark in association with Prestige Construction Group. The $117 million stadium is the anchor for the larger 67-acre, $2.4 billion Diamond District mixed-use development slated to get underway with an initial phase next year.
Joining Stoney was City Councilmember Katherine Jordan, whose district includes the Diamond District site. Jordan had Stoney sign a baseball she’s held onto since 2022, when she found it in the parking lot outside The Diamond at an event to officially announce the Diamond District project.
Stoney signed the baseball with the phrase, “We did it!”
Mayor Levar Stoney signs the baseball that Councilmember Katherine Jordan found beside The Diamond two years ago. (Jonathan Spiers photos)
The 10,000-capacity stadium will replace the nearly 40-year-old Diamond, which will be razed once CarMax Park is completed. Long promised to the Richmond Flying Squirrels, the new ballpark is needed to meet facility standards that Major League Baseball has required of all pro baseball venues – standards The Diamond has been deemed unable to meet.
The Flying Squirrels’ Todd “Parney” Parnell and COO Ben Rothrock joined Gilbane staff in pointing out the ballpark’s footprint that is taking shape with various foundations and other site prep. The shape of the ballfield has been dug out of the dirt, and Stoney was shown where the dugouts and home plate will be.
A bird’s eye view shows the concourse structure taking shape for the future CarMax Park baseball stadium. (Photo courtesy Gilbane)
Officials noted that the ballfield will be visible to residents of the newly built Novel Scott’s Addition apartments across Arthur Ashe Boulevard until an adjoining hotel is built beside the ballpark. The 180-room hotel is planned for the first phase of the Diamond District that developer Diamond District Partners is aiming to start next fall.
“It’s an exciting time for the city of Richmond,” Stoney told reporters during the tour. “There are cranes in the sky, people are arriving in our city, we’re growing, and you’d rather be growing than dying. This is a major development for the city moving forward.”
Of the work underway, Jordan added after the tour: “It’s extremely gratifying.”
“A lot of people got us here, we still have work to do, but work is underway, and you can feel the excitement and enthusiasm,” she said.
An aerial shot from November shows the site between The Diamond, Sports Backers Stadium, the Novel Scott’s Addition apartments and the train tracks. (Skyshots Photography)
Site work for the stadium got going this summer, and a groundbreaking ceremony was held in September, when the CarMax Park name also was announced.
Gilbane and Prestige are aiming for completion in time for Opening Day 2026. The ballpark is designed by LaBella Associates and KEi Architects.