New Arena

[wrldcoupe4]

Dominion wasn’t building an arena in Richmond. 

[HRVA]

56 minutes ago, wrldcoupe4 said:

Dominion wasn’t building an arena in Richmond. 

The were going to buy the naming rights. Not the same but worth mentioning. 

[BFG]

I have a feeling Dollar Tree will buy the naming rights, esp. if this ends up in Chesapeake. 

[vdogg]

52 minutes ago, BFG said:

I have a feeling Dollar Tree will buy the naming rights, esp. if this ends up in Chesapeake. 

The DT Town Center/Greenbrier area is a traffic nightmare. I wouldn't even consider putting an arena there.

[BFG]

I didn’t really have a specific location in Chesapeake in mind, I’m just noting DT’s offices being there. If the arena were to go there, I’d say Bowers Hill or redevelop the Chesapeake Square site. That’s at least somewhere central for the entire region. 

Edited February 12, 2020 by BFG

[Arctic_Tern]

Why can't Dollar Tree sponsor the stadium if it's in Norfolk? I don't want to change the location of the freaking stadium for naming rights.

[vdogg]

42 minutes ago, Arctic_Tern said:

Why can't Dollar Tree sponsor the stadium if it's in Norfolk? I don't want to change the location of the freaking stadium for naming rights.

I don't think any major HR corporations are hung up on the exact location of the arena as far as naming rights are concerned. Their only concern is name recognition and visibility.

[Norva757]

Norfolk is the center of the metro with 2 ways to get over here from the pennisula.  Military Circle should be the spot with it having 4 lane roads on each side. There is plenty spaces around the mall to build it

[BFG]

4 hours ago, vdogg said:

I don't think any major HR corporations are hung up on the exact location of the arena as far as naming rights are concerned. Their only concern is name recognition and visibility.

Right...I wasn't trying to imply that it would only be DT Arena if it's in Chesapeake. It's just that with the upcoming departure of Norfolk Southern, they're more or less the most prominent Fortune 500 company in the area. Location wouldn't matter one way or another with the name, because it still gets seen on televised events (say, March Madness).

[ONCE1stBlvd]

8 hours ago, BFG said:

Right...I wasn't trying to imply that it would only be DT Arena if it's in Chesapeake. It's just that with the upcoming departure of Norfolk Southern, they're more or less the most prominent Fortune 500 company in the area. Location wouldn't matter one way or another with the name, because it still gets seen on televised events (say, March Madness).

I have a question:  Does a fortune 500 company have to be in the area that it's naming rights apply to?  Meaning, when Norfolk Southern leaves, does that mean it can't still have naming rights on an arena in the 757/948?  I feel like "The Norfolk Southern Center" would sound so nice

[BFG]

1 hour ago, ONCE1stBlvd said:

I have a question:  Does a fortune 500 company have to be in the area that it's naming rights apply to?  Meaning, when Norfolk Southern leaves, does that mean it can't still have naming rights on an arena in the 757/948?  I feel like "The Norfolk Southern Center" would sound so nice

I'm sure there are sports venues named after companies outside the home metro. Off the top of my head, FedEx Field is in Landover, MD; FedEx is headquartered in Memphis. I see no reason why NS couldn't be the sponsor, in spite of them leaving.

[EJ_LEWIS]

Virginia Business article on a new arena in the Military Circle Area.  Hope this comes to fruition. 

https://www.virginiabusiness.com/article/military-circle-redevelopment-could-include-arena/

[baobabs727]

We have got to figure this out at some point. Hopefully sooner than later.
 

failed regional arena  circa 1996

https://scholar.lib.vt.edu/VA-news/VA-Pilot/issues/1996/vp960303/03050363.htm

failed VB then Norfolk arena circa 2011-13 

https://www.dailypress.com/sports/dp-spt-arena-vabeach-reject-tuesday-story.html

https://arenadigest.com/drakkar-america

And we all know what happened in VB a few short years ago  

 

[Norva757]

Im not sure we will ever figure this out...the way this area is designed there will always be power struggles between the cities...we need the state to step in and help build one city surrounded by counties

[baobabs727]

On 12/30/2022 at 9:40 AM, Norva757 said:

Im not sure we will ever figure this out...the way this area is designed there will always be power struggles between the cities...we need the state to step in and help build one city surrounded by counties

The state will not see it as within their purview, and even if they did, most of us will be dead by then.  And do take note, the 1996 proposal was a regional proposal. I’m not sure exactly what happened, but I’m guessing it had something to do with locating the arena, dollar contribution calculus per city, and then the profit-sharing model. idk  I would suspect that Norfolk and Virginia Beach would struggle to agree with where to locate the arena, and that they would not contribute unless it was located in either one of their 2  cities. Meanwhile, the other jurisdictions would want Norfolk and Virginia Beach to contribute the lion’s share toward construction. Chesapeake might even think it should be built somewhere on the Robertson property….

 

Edited December 31, 2022 by baobabs727

[urbanlife]

On 12/30/2022 at 3:44 AM, baobabs727 said:

We have got to figure this out at some point. Hopefully sooner than later.
 

failed regional arena  circa 1996

https://scholar.lib.vt.edu/VA-news/VA-Pilot/issues/1996/vp960303/03050363.htm

failed VB then Norfolk arena circa 2011-13 

https://www.dailypress.com/sports/dp-spt-arena-vabeach-reject-tuesday-story.html

https://arenadigest.com/drakkar-america

And we all know what happened in VB a few short years ago  

 

I'm pretty sure Richmond has a better chance of getting a new arena built that Hampton Roads does. 

[BFG]

If I have a time machine and the power to do so I'm going back to about 1995 and putting the arena on the MacArthur site, then building a mixed-use development around the arena. Shops, restaurants, maybe a hotel. Think Ovation Hollywood (formerly Hollywood and Highland) meets Patriot Place in Foxboro meets Victory Park in Dallas.

Someone in this metro has to have some forward vision, and unless one of us runs for public office I think one of our local officials needs to take the lead. I'm tired of half-a$$ed efforts. Smaller metros like RVA and Raleigh are gonna run laps around us in the next decade because of the status quo.

[BFG]

So now it’s possible the arena wouldn’t go at Military Circle, but downtown on the old Popeye’s. I’ve said that was the best location for years, but Norfolk is gonna keep kicking this can down the road for another 30 years. They’ve been talking about a replacement for Scope since the mid-90s and the closest we’ve gotten was The Ted. Just make a %#$&ing decision already!

 

[carolinaboy]

Downtown. Best location. Could be a positive catalyst for downtown going forward like MacArthur Center and light rail were/have been. I still don't think there could be a professional (major league) tenant but concerts/shows/NCAA basketball/Sun Belt basketball tournament, etc. would be great. With all the apartment development under construction, the large linear park (proposed) area and dare say I a casino (possibly) in the area it could really be great. I've never been a fan of moving arenas/stadiums out of downtown areas.

[BFG]

If it goes downtown, hopefully they build a decent-sized hotel next door.

[carolinaboy]

13 hours ago, BFG said:

If it goes downtown, hopefully they build a decent-sized hotel next door.

I think if it goes downtown, Norfolk shouldn't get too "grandiose" with their vision. Keep it simple. An arena with ample parking and perhaps an adjacent hotel/commercial/conference area. They don't need some big "entertainment district" with a Ferris wheel, wave park, amphitheater, roller coasters, etc.

[urbanlife]

On 1/4/2023 at 10:34 AM, BFG said:

So now it’s possible the arena wouldn’t go at Military Circle, but downtown on the old Popeye’s. I’ve said that was the best location for years, but Norfolk is gonna keep kicking this can down the road for another 30 years. They’ve been talking about a replacement for Scope since the mid-90s and the closest we’ve gotten was The Ted. Just make a %#$&ing decision already!

 

This actually makes a lot of sense to use this site for any new stadium.  It would be a good way to incorporate the bus terminal into the development, there would be room for any new parking garages that might be needed...though I think it would be better to rely on the garages that exist in downtown and encourage people to park and walk or park and take light rail to get to any events.  Another reason that would be a good location is that it would open up the possibilities with what can happen to the mall and possibly the Scope and Chrysler Hall if/when those sites get redeveloped and hopefully incorporated back into the urban grid.

[mintscraft56]

please, Please, PLEASE build this downtown! 

My Gosh, I think they finally figured out that our downtown needs new life.

[varider]

https://www.wavy.com/news/local-news/delegate-says-bill-to-help-finance-norfolk-arena-isnt-ready-for-prime-time/

I am disheartened by the fact that we are effectively competing against Henrico for a new arena, and disappointed by the “leadership” around here. I just can’t understand how the city and this region can be so dysfunctional. 

[lammius]

Never seen a place try so hard to be a small backwater town.