New Richmond Arena

[eandslee]

Here we go folks!

http://richmondbizsense.com/2017/06/27/sources-new-arena-in-the-works-to-replace-coliseum/

[Wahoo 07]

The city needs to do this right.  An 18,000 seat arena would elevate the type of events that Richmond could host, thereby elevating the city's profile.  The time has come for Richmond to think like a big city.

[eandslee]

I really like the fact that big companies are leading the way on this effort - most notably, Dominion Energy who already has a website address reserved at www.dominionenergyarena.com!  Glad to hear that a formal announcement is only weeks away too!  I know that the folks at the "Bring Hockey Back To Richmond" are going to wet themselves this morning with the prospect of a new arena!  Ha! 

You both are right though - this project needs to be done right.  As long as the city can stay out of it (for the most part...except for clearing the way for private entities to come in and do their thing) I think this can be a very important and impressive project.  Sounds like the process for making this happen will be similar to what made the Virginia Beach arena possible...and of course, the legislation that past a year ago laid the groundwork.

I really like the sound of it:  Dominion Energy Arena!

I'm excited for concerts, the possibility of a new professional sports team (hockey anyone?), state of the art convention space, the chance to see NCAA Basketball Tournament games there...the list goes on and on!  Make it happen!  We are SO ready!

[meegwell]

Attached is the 3 part coliseum study from several years back.   It's been a while since I've read it but I recall some interesting data on radio reach and corporate support playing big role in what may or may not work.  Also, keep in mind that RVA has come a long way in the short time since this study was done.  At the time, the prospect of the larger sized arena was not recommended (which means no NCAA tourneys, potential pro team, and bigger concert events) which crushed me to read at the time.  Maybe thats why they (Dominion, Meade, Altria, etc) all just sat on it...waiting for the iron to be hot.

 

I'll probably browse through it again today...interested in comments.

Richmond_coliseum_Report01-27-11-VolumeIIofIII.pdf

Richmond_coliseum_Report01-27-11-VolumeIIIofIII.pdf

Richmond_Coliseum_Report01-27-11-VolumeIofIII.pdf

AS far as the City owning the decks and other structures around the coliseum...anyone think its just crazy (and ripe for corruption) that at big coliseum events the parking attendants stand there accepting cash only, with a big green wad in their hands...circa 1980s?  Got to be tons of cash "lost"....

[drayrichmond]

as one of those "Bring Hockey Back to Richmond" people, I was nearly jumping up in down and shouting (until I remembered I was in public). So, YEESSSSSS!!!!! Please let this happen!!!!! RVA don't mess this up somehow!!!

[eandslee]

21 minutes ago, drayrichmond said:

as one of those "Bring Hockey Back to Richmond" people, I was nearly jumping up in down and shouting (until I remembered I was in public). So, YEESSSSSS!!!!! Please let this happen!!!!! RVA don't mess this up somehow!!!

LOL!  I was eating cereal this morning (mid bite) when I read the news and nearly spit it out from all of my excitement.  I immediately thought, "Please let it be true!"  While I'm not a die-hard hockey fan, I did enjoy going to see the Renegades play and would love it if Richmond could land another team.  I support "Bring Hockey Back to Richmond" in their efforts and hope this will be a huge tally in their "win" column!  I can't wait for the formal announcement to come out.  Maybe it will come out sooner than thought since the beans have already been spilt.

Incidentally, just two days ago, I was looking at the VA Beach Arena plans and was really envious.  Now, Richmond will have its own arena to brag about.  It'll be interesting to see how the 2 arenas will compete against each other...or maybe they won't.  Maybe they will compliment each other.  We'll see!

[drayrichmond]

I've been keeping an eye on the VA Beach arena as well, again big hockey fan so arenas are important for that. From what I understand the VA Beach arena is going to be a full fledged 18k to 20k seat arena, which is the size you would have for pro teams, for example Verizon Center up in DC seats a little over 20k for basketball and about 18.5k for hockey. I'd like to see our arena max seat 18k, especially with a basketball set up, that way we can attracted things like the NCAA who have seating requirements. But no more than 18k so we aren't over reaching our area, a 20k+ seat arena would not work in RVA. So, I'm hoping its like 16-18k seats.

I'm also hoping we can get an ECHL team, there is some talk in VA Beach about NHL, I know the Carolina Hurricanes might be looking to move, poor attendance numbers, but I'm optimistic that will happen. Norfolk used to have an AHL team affiliated with Anaheim, but they moved to California to be closer to the parent team. Now they have an ECHL team, the Admirals.  So, two scenarios, first if we can get an ECHL team we could have a great city rivalry with Hampton Roads. Second (unlikely), if the VA beach arena does snatch up a NHL team there is a chance that the Norfolk team could be upgraded to AHL (farm team for VA beach) but move to RVA so they aren't competing for attendance. That's the dream scenario, however very unlikely.

For those who aren't into Hockey, the league is kinda like this: NHL > AHL > ECHL.

That being said, the Hampton Roads arena market is getting more muddled as now Norfolk wants to renovate their arena, I'm assuming because they are worried they will lose the Admirals to a newer arena.

And let's not forget the other bits in the article, they mentioned of course the possible use/renovation/reuse of the 6th street market place and the construction of a new hotel!!

And yes lets take away the events at JPJ, Charlottesville should not be out-pulling RVA!!

Edited June 27, 2017 by drayrichmond

[blopp1234]

I was so excited I already added this to the development map! I too  would love to see a 17-18k seat arena. I think that it would create a mass development surge in and around the biotech district as well as Monroe Ward and the broad street corridor. This is overall great for Richmond and I really hope that we see concept drawings soon!

[Wahoo 07]

Let's not forget that 18,000 could be enough for Richmond to host the ACC Tournament.  That would be a major coup for the city and the Commonwealth as a whole.

[RVA-Is-The-Best]

^^ACC is one of the big 5 CBB conferences, they require a massive media market like NYC etc. But bringing upper-mid level conferences (VCU/UR's Atlantic-10 conference comes to mind) would certainly be a little more realistic. CAA tourney used to be here but they've kind of been down for a couple of years.

I would love to have the Renegades back too. Concert wise, we should be punching much higher than we aim right now. Bigger arena acts should not be going to a media market nearly a third of the size of us. Luckily we've been slowly drawing bigger and bigger names as of recent years, albeit to places like the Landmark and the National.

Another thing, hoping the landscape design around the new arena is far better than that of the existing '70s exercise in brutalism. A plaza should be inviting and a gathering space. Or better yet really, if they just bring the arena edges all the way up to the street, no setbacks, it would really keep the urban street landscape continuous, a big gap with the arena like 50 feet away from the street wouldn't be as great.

Anyway real exciting stuff here. Not sure if I want to add this to the development map yet given a concrete proposal hasn't been made (wouldn't even consider this to be in the conceptual/design stages yet).

edit: lol looks like someone added it anyway

Edited June 27, 2017 by RVA-Is-The-Best

[eandslee]

43 minutes ago, RVA-Is-The-Best said:

edit: lol looks like someone added it anyway

It's Blopp's fault (pointing at you Blopp...just like Lloyd Christmas in Dumb & Dumber during the diner scene after Harry threw the salt shaker over his shoulder and hit "Seabass" with it).  LOL!

On another note...I wonder if the RTD will do a story this afternoon or tomorrow?  Maybe they can squeeze out a little more information.

Edited June 27, 2017 by eandslee

[Wahoo 07]

47 minutes ago, RVA-Is-The-Best said:

^^ACC is one of the big 5 CBB conferences, they require a massive media market like NYC etc. But bringing upper-mid level conferences (VCU/UR's Atlantic-10 conference comes to mind) would certainly be a little more realistic. CAA tourney used to be here but they've kind of been down for a couple of years.

I would love to have the Renegades back too. Concert wise, we should be punching much higher than we aim right now. Bigger arena acts should not be going to a media market nearly a third of the size of us. Luckily we've been slowly drawing bigger and bigger names as of recent years, albeit to places like the Landmark and the National.

Another thing, hoping the landscape design around the new arena is far better than that of the existing '70s exercise in brutalism. A plaza should be inviting and a gathering space. Or better yet really, if they just bring the arena edges all the way up to the street, no setbacks, it would really keep the urban street landscape continuous, a big gap with the arena like 50 feet away from the street wouldn't be as great.

Anyway real exciting stuff here. Not sure if I want to add this to the development map yet given a concrete proposal hasn't been made (wouldn't even consider this to be in the conceptual/design stages yet).

edit: lol looks like someone added it anyway

Greensboro and Raleigh have hosted the tournament 41 times between the two of them.  DC, Atlanta, and NY combine for 11 (12 if you include 2018).  Given that, I would think that Richmond with a suitable arena would be an attractive site.  Besides, UVa has never really been the "host" school.

Edited June 27, 2017 by Wahoo 07

[eandslee]

Okay, just check out this page (if you haven't seen it already) of the arena that is to be built in Virginia Beach.  ground breaks in a few months:

http://www.esgco.com/virginia-beach-arena/

Something like this is what we have to look forward to here.  Thanks VA Beach for leading the way!  I know that folks out there have got to be excited about this!

[eandslee]

The RTD has an article on the new arena proposal, but not a whole lot of new information. Looks like we will just have to wait for the actual announcement in the coming weeks. It's going to kill me to have to wait for the announcement. 

[jbjust]

Come on people!  We need some leaks!  

[eandslee]

29 minutes ago, jbjust said:

Come on people!  We need some leaks!  

Seriously, right?  There's not much to talk about anymore unless we purely speculate!

[Icetera]

1 hour ago, hikendesign said:

• The partly sunken entrance would go, YES!  - "plan envisions a transformation of the traditional street grid, now partly sunken below grade"

There goes that money spent on the replacement bridges.

[meegwell]

Poll:  New Coliseum will be (in the first released official plan) over/under 16,000 max capacity?

[drayrichmond]

2 hours ago, meegwell said:

Poll:  New Coliseum will be (in the first released official plan) over/under 16,000 max capacity?

It had better be at least 16k or we'll still be losing events to JPJ arena in Charlottesville. Also it's been a week and half, still counting the days to some sort of announcement...

[jbjust]

Reviving this thread with no news is just cruel. 

[eandslee]

It did say that a plan would be forthcoming in the "coming weeks"...meaning more than one week, so looking for something in week 2 is totally validated!

[eandslee]

While development news has been slow, I came across this interesting piece from The Virginian-Pilot regarding what I have just dubbed as the "arena wars" between Virginia Beach, Hampton, and Richmond (may even include C'ville in this as well).  I have some questions:  If all three localities build a new arena (and with C'ville in the mix as well) how in the world is one metro area going to win out?  When an act comes to Virginia, how do they decide which arena to go to (if it goes to two or more, the attendance numbers for each same event will be smaller)?  Who will get the ACC Tournament, A-10 Tournament, NCAA Tournament?  I just seems like Richmond and the Norfolk area are constantly competing against one another and each has to have its own thing and not one of the two metros surpasses the other.  There are some areas where the two metros compete where one is slightly better/bigger than the other.  Case in point are the airports - Richmond has a slightly busier airport than Norfolk International, but ironically, the Norfolk Metro area has a slightly larger population than Richmond.  Overall though, the two metros are very similar in size and have similar amenities and where one exceeds the other, the other metro is right on its tail.  So, the big question is this: which of the two metros will surpass the other (eventually)?  Will there be a tremendous economic boost that will thrust one metro over the other?  It will be interesting if one actually far surpasses the other due to one event or a series of events (it could be as simple as leadership change or the decision of a ,or a couple, major corporations that decide to relocate, etc.), but I thought I'd post this here since it speaks mostly of the arena situation in Virginia.  Check it out and chime in:

 

https://pilotonline.com/sports/columnist/harry-minium/with-richmond-entering-the-fray-virginia-could-be-entering-another/article_8e274d14-20be-50d9-a2eb-9e67fc7e44fa.html

[RVA-Is-The-Best]

Richmond only has a busier airport because PHF splinters the peninsula from using ORF.

If a sports team is deciding on a metro area, it will look at the media market size (essentially population) first, and then all else. HR has larger, thus it has the higher hand. Building in the core city (Norfolk) would make the most sense as it is the centrally located one with an existing arena (although, as does Hampton). C'ville is too small of a location to draw big name acts, but they usually go there anyway for the arena size and relatively new age while scheduling another stop in HR, and skip over Richmond entirely.

Regardless, sports leagues like NBA and NHL will look at other metros long before they look at RVA or HR. Seattle comes to mind. As does Pittsburgh (for NBA).

[Icetera]

1 hour ago, RVA-Is-The-Best said:

Richmond only has a busier airport because PHF splinters the peninsula from using ORF.

Actually, as of 2015, RIC (1.74m) had just a touch more passengers than ORF and PHF combined (1.72m).  Given rates of growth, RIC should be even further ahead for 2016.

http://www.virginiaplaces.org/transportation/airtransport.html
http://www.virginiaplaces.org/transportation/airtransportrichmondhamptonroads.html

[wrldcoupe4]

Kind of surprising given Hampton Roads MSA is 25% larger than Richmond's MSA.