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eandslee

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eandslee City

eandslee

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Philip Morris closing its Charlotte area operations and moving them to Richmond was a positive...

But anyways, here's hoping that we are all pleasantly surprised with the baseball/boulevard proposals to be presented later this month.

That was a rare event for sure. I am hopeful that we are surprised as well, but I can't seem to remove this voice in the back of my head telling me that Charlotte is out to get Richmond - to suck it up little by little due to the history between the two cities. Now, who can blame me?

...but I am hopeful. I just hope I'm not disappointed again.

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eandslee
eandslee

Looks like progress toward a new baseball stadium for VCU and the Flying Squirrels is going well, according to the article below. There is even the possibility of a new stadium ready by the 2023 seaso

eandslee
eandslee

Apparently, there is an announcement Monday morning in front of the Coliseum at 1100 with the Mayor and representatives from NH...in relation to the future of hockey in Richmond.  Looks like there is

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burt Megalopolis

burt

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That was a rare event for sure. I am hopeful that we are surprised as well, but I can't seem to remove this voice in the back of my head telling me that Charlotte is out to get Richmond - to suck it up little by little due to the history between the two cities. Now, who can blame me?

...but I am hopeful. I just hope I'm not disappointed again.

Well, at least 50% of Carolina's success can be attributed to Virginia's apathy, conservative banking laws and politics. Charlotte got the banks and financial institutions. Raleigh was smart and had plenty of foresight in establishing Research Triangle Park. Each city established major airports. All the while Virginia leaders diddled around in their complacent way. Virginia's Capital city enjoyed tremendous prestige as a bellweather of culture, history and shopping options until the Massive Resistance movement took hold under "Democratic" leadership that was really more right-wing Republican than Sarah Palin. Newer, younger, brighter, open-minded leadership with vision should have been in The Governor's mansion when North Carolina began its economic raid on Virginia.

So that's my rant!

Bring on The Knights!

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HopHead City

HopHead

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That was a rare event for sure. I am hopeful that we are surprised as well, but I can't seem to remove this voice in the back of my head telling me that Charlotte is out to get Richmond - to suck it up little by little due to the history between the two cities. Now, who can blame me?

...but I am hopeful. I just hope I'm not disappointed again.

Trust me, Charlotte is not out to get Richmond. Charlotte's biggest problem is that it tries to be like Atlanta... which isn't a shot at Richmond by anymeans. I lived in Richmond for many years before moving to Charlotte. While I see the reason for thinking that's the case by some people here on this board, it's not.

I'll be honest, I really don't know the story behind the Knights possibly leaving town other than the fact they are just sick of the frivolous lawsuits by a local lawyer with his own personal agenda. So it could just be a power play by the team to have the city dust him under the carpet. I'd be hard pressed to believe the Knights would go somewhere else without a new stadium deal in place. I've gone to many a games at the Diamond and it's long overdue to be replaced. And I know far too well how that Richmond city government works :) Frustrating they are! I would be interested to see if plans for a new park were to come to fruition. I think it would have to come privately if anything. The thing what Richmond would have in it's favor is that the team would be considered a high priority. The Knights are often the 3rd or 4th option here, behind the Panthers, Bobcats, etc... Mostly b/c the stadium location isn't even in the state of North Carolina!

Hopefully Richmond can get something in place. Losing the Braves sucks. Even more irritating is that the Braves put them in their own backyard...

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burt Megalopolis

burt

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If new developmnt plans for North Boulevard are approved, it will create a sports dillemma for VCU according to a story from today's inRich:

http://www.inrich.com/cva/ric/sports.apx.-...10-24-0136.html

A Reader Reaction from Jason (wonder if he's the same Jason who used to participate here?) proposes a sensible solution -- develop the block which used to be Ukrop's. Check out Jason's comment at the bottom of the inRich story.

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NYCJSW Whistle-Stop

NYCJSW

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I can't believe how some people on the RTD site are so against a stadium going downtown. I mean a downtown stadium would be the first in the country. :unsure: The reasons they give for not wanting it downtown are so silly. Have any of these people ever been out of Richmond or been to a sporting event in a major city = downtown?

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jbjust Burg

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Honestly, whether a downtown stadium works is going to depend almost entirely on the design and parking. If this thing has a natural flow into the neighborhood (see., e.g. Fenway Park) and they can reserve some safe-looking parking for those coming in from the county, then it will be a tremendous success.

If, however, finding parking is a unreliable and this thing looks like a fortress plopped down in the middle of the neighborhood (see, e.g. the old Riverfront Stadium), it could be a disaster.

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NYCJSW Whistle-Stop

NYCJSW

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Honestly, whether a downtown stadium works is going to depend almost entirely on the design and parking. If this thing has a natural flow into the neighborhood (see., e.g. Fenway Park) and they can reserve some safe-looking parking for those coming in from the county, then it will be a tremendous success.

If, however, finding parking is a unreliable and this thing looks like a fortress plopped down in the middle of the neighborhood (see, e.g. the old Riverfront Stadium), it could be a disaster.

I'm sure there are ways to screw up building a stadium downtown. But you can also screw it up no matter where you build it. A lot of the comments on the RTD site just refuse to accept that a stadium can go downtown.

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ric75 Hamlet

ric75

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I'm sure there are ways to screw up building a stadium downtown. But you can also screw it up no matter where you build it. A lot of the comments on the RTD site just refuse to accept that a stadium can go downtown.

I don't have any experience with suburbanites in other cities but the older suburbanites here in Richmond fear downtown like the Plague. And it's funny because they say things like "nobody goes downtown after dark" which tells me they actually haven't been there in decades if ever. Not sure why they are so dead-set against it but they are and they go out of their way to try and spread their anger and fear around to others... which is why you see so many negative comments on the TD. I wouldn't worry about it too much. The more attention downtown gets, the louder these folks squawk which tells me downtown is really building steam. The protesters will be the last to convert if they ever do so don't expect everyone to ever be on the same page. Hell, Richmond could be Manhattan and these people would be saying the same things they always have.

Back on topic though.... I definitely support a downtown stadium as long as it is privately funded. Filling that gap between downtown and Church Hill helps create a large, walkable, safe, and visually appealing district stretching from Tobacco Row and Church Hill to the east, all the way through downtown, VCU, and the Fan to the west. Those abandoned lots are a very important piece to the puzzle so I hope they get it right.

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NYCJSW Whistle-Stop

NYCJSW

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"Filling that gap between downtown and Church Hill helps create a large, walkable, safe, and visually appealing district stretching from Tobacco Row and Church Hill to the east, all the way through downtown, VCU, and the Fan to the west. Those abandoned lots are a very important piece to the puzzle so I hope they get it right."

Yes, there are so many pieces already in place that all they really need is to get more foot traffic down there. The concert venues, the canal walk, good hotels and tons of places to eat. Unlike the Diamond the crowds coming to a downtown ballpark will spend a lot of money in the city. To me all along this was a no brainer. Why some of the bottom businesses fought it I can't understand. I spoke with someone high up at the Omni Hotel years ago and they were against it because of the traffic. Anyway, I just worry that in this difficult economic climate the stadium might not get done or some corners might get cut with the project - See Watkins Centre.

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eandslee City

eandslee

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Will there be football in VCU's future?

This story should excite you, Eric. :thumbsup:

From today's inRich:

http://www.inrich.com/cva/ric/sports.apx.-...10-28-0078.html

I figure that this has to happen eventually. I mean, really, how can you have a university the size of VCU (a destination university at that) and not have a football team (America's sport!)? I think that it will only draw more positive attention to VCU by having a football team, enrollments could increase, VCU's name will become more nationally known, and it will provide the VCU community and the city something to be proud of (the relatively small investment of millions will pay dividends in the end)! I sure hope it happens sooner rather than later. I think this is long overdue. Eventually, VCU could build a very nice football stadium in the downtown area which could provide a venue for other activities and events as well! This could be a boon not only for VCU, but also for the downtown area of Richmond!

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wrldcoupe4 Metropolitan Area

wrldcoupe4

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Football stadiums tend to be ghost towns 355 days out of the year. I would hate to take up any prime downtown property with that.

I would be nice to have a new facility shared by VCU Athletics (with or without football), Sportsbackers, and the Richmond Kickers. I say spruce up City Stadium and install modern amenities. It would easily support I-AA football (it already does) and continue to support the Richmond Kickers. Build a home for Sportsbackers on site, add some corporate suites and boxes etc...

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burt Megalopolis

burt

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This guy, Woody, is a R-TD writer recently promoted at the Sports Desk. I generally avoid his columns because his general negativity annoys me. Next stop at the newspaper for Woody probably will be the Editorial page.

Anyway, for what it's worth, here is his latest rambling about VCU football.

From today's inRich:

http://www.inrich.com/cva/ric/sports.apx.-...10-31-0129.html

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