cbl1

I felt I was being belittled in fact for being pro-arena. After posting questions on people saying things like "Bye Bye Area plan". That's not a debate that's a "you all are stupid everyone knows it - look at this terrific article … we are so much smarter than you - look you can't even read"

Umm....no. I see a a link to a smear piece that has nothing to do with demonstration. Yea thanks!

Must not have been many reporters. So it was a multiple "Protest everything everywhere" march … guess they needed to be very inclusive to get people out. My reading skills are just fine if there is anything to read.

Where is the report on this massive public outcry you speak of?

How was the company hired (and already paid for by city) to vet the proposal not objective?? They were a 3rd party hired to be objective. What is the incentive for them not to be - don't they have a reputation to uphold in that regard?

actually looks like they may have trouble with Richmond downtown in proving part of their land or Tsenacomoco (Powhatan Chiefdom Land they were a part of). They would probably have much easier go with the state out in New Kent.

'but it fits the entertainment district of Navy Hill if anywhere in Richmond. I'm not a casino fan - but it seems inevitable with the draw Maryland has pulled. If you're with the Pamunkey and you see Richmond getting ready to put together a billion dollar entertainment and convention district in the heart of Pamunkey ancesteral land …. your wanting a piece of that. Not to mention you have multiple interstates converging at that point and a prime location on the PULSE public transportation artery. It screams "build here". And no I don't know what it has done to downtown Detroit. You mean this https://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20170717/news/634061/detroit-casinos-have-paid-45-billion-in-taxes-to-state-city-since

Some may not like it but the Pamunkey Casino makes perfect sense to open in the new Navy Hill.

I don't think this is invisioned as one of the "Baltimore Live" type districts that are closed off and dead most of the time. With the housing aspect I believe they want a more main street feel to it.

If they have arena plans - I'm surprised we haven't seen more photos in order to entice people to support. At $220 million it should be pretty impressive.

Your right - pretty close to Tampa It does allow more options though as the Sarasota is Thursday/Sunday and Tampa is Friday/Monday Therefore, you could fly in one and out other in more combinations (such as Thursday to Monday now). I would like to see a Ft. Meyer one or West Palm.

gares on Spirit have been pretty high in the sprint period to Ft. Lauderdale - must be popular route. Over $300 each way.

Technically they still have 2 headquarters - here and Atlanta. But fairly inevitable they make it Atlanta at some point. Richmond was MeadWestvaco headquarters and Atlanta was RockTenn headquarters and the two haven't made the jump to shutting one or other down. Hasn't had an impact on employment as far as I know in Richmond - not same as NS picking up and leaving (Westrock hasn't left).

speaking of Atlanta "Gulch" earlier - it just got approved and there are already big things happening for them. Looks like Norfolk Southern is going to move their headquarters now to Atlanta. It shows - if you stay stagnant you will continue to lose out to cities that are doing major planning right now to take advantage of the resurgence of city life. Big plans in Richmond might not just be about attracting new companies to Richmond and economic growth, but protection of what we have now!

There is a huge difference between - 6th Street Marketplace - built to try to keep people and businesses from leaving the city (as they were) and try to promote the current large retailers. Navy Hill - built because people want to come back to the city but need more housing, retail, and entertainment. People have a hard time with those concepts. One thing I will say that is key to all of this is crime. Crime pushed 6th Street over the edge - people didn't feel safe. The city is a different place then it was back then and the Richmond Police Department and City Government needs to make sure it stays that way if it wants all of these big plans to work out. I have been very happy to tell people that I have walked around Jackson Ward and felt safe (and tremendously enjoyed that and the culture that exists in Jackson Ward) …. never would have happen in the days of the 6th Street Marketplace. Navy Hill has the potential to bring back Richmond to where it was mid-century - cultural center of the state.

I love the normal naysayers on Facebook etc saying it’s corporate welfare. Explain to me how the city doing tiff to only pay for the armory and coliseum they will still own and private investors ponying up over a billion dollars is somehow construed as corporate welfare. Do peoe just like repeating the same old retoric!

He said he is getting ready to submit it to council within next few weeks. He announced they have come to agreement and moving forward with next steps.....looked pretty news worthy to me.

Stoney speech available in full on wtvr was very good!

Let the flood of complaining commence - "What about the schools" !!!! Project is pretty amazing with a lot of private funds pouring into Richmond.

Seem pretty obvious in that they don't want to book anything with possible demolition looming. They aren't shutting it down just to idle it because of budget.

Maybe (hopefully) they are working close with City Council on details to get there support vs. surprising them with details and them voting NO. Maybe there getting the votes lined up before putting it in front of the public - and the naysayers that will come out of the woodwork.

Per article today in times dispatch on VCU graduation - the coliseum is officially not booking events past this December. City council is going to have to vote soon if they want to fast track and start demolition beginning 2019.

Nothing new in article on ballpark really - just that squirrels trust the process and they are hearing all the right things behind the scenes. Sounds like they are putting together all of the plans and they will be ready to jump on going right to construction once the ABC warehouse moves. VCU doesn't mess around.

Anyone have Times Dispatch login to see what the ballpark update is - well kinda update. I have printed Times Dispatch but my online login stopped working.

Thanks - I need to stick to 7:30am on United or go with American. I tend to favor United because my Marriott status gives me Silver United matching and I get to upgrade to the better seats on check-in for free. But doesn't help me much on those 50 seaters.