Richmond off-topic postings

[I miss RVA]

HOLY MOLY!!!

Metro RVA will get a BIG national boost next year! WRIC-TV 8 News is reporting today that Virginia State University in Ettrick has been selected by the Commission on Presidential Debates to host the second 2024 general election debates. This means that datelines, national news stories, and -- of course -- national television coverage will put "Richmond" in the national consciousness for a portion of 2024. This is the kind of national publicity that other cities/metro areas have enjoyed for decades - and now, finally, metro Richmond will get some time in the national spotlight. The debate is scheduled for October 1, 2024 at 9 p.m., EDT.

From WRIC-TV8 News:

https://www.wric.com/news/virginia-news/virginia-state-university-to-host-2nd-general-election-presidential-debate/?email=d834bce611d0bba4755a61cffb73198f13f2d37a&emaila=4ee07773ae5d9d656d4c292fd57c17dd&emailb=7cf217fb41c3dbe99942557890145f756d9e4cf6ca422134b07c76bb97fc579f&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Breaking News - WRIC - Breaking News - November 20%2C 2023%2C 5:13 pm UTC&utm_content=8news breaking news alert&utm_term=Breaking News&stream=top

Edited November 21, 2023 by I miss RVA

[Brent114]

I saw this the other day.  Let’s not get too hopeful.  If you know who is a candidate he probably won’t even debate.  

[I miss RVA]

6 hours ago, Brent114 said:

I saw this the other day.  Let’s not get too hopeful.  If you know who is a candidate he probably won’t even debate.  

Very true - however, at least Richmond's name will be out there in the national media for a little while, even if the debate gets canned because someone - as expected - chickens out.

[RiverYuppy]

It will be interesting to see if they say the debate is in Richmond or Petersburg.

According to their website Hotel Petersburg should be open by spring 2024. That's great timing for Petersburg as the hotel selection nearby is really lacking. Especially since Fort Lee opened a 1k room hotel on base, meaning a lot of people no longer have to rent rooms outside the base.

[Downtowner]

So who runs for mayor in 2024 and who doesn’t. Who would you like to see as a mayor candidate and who would you not. I’m praying to dear lord that Kim gray never shows herself again for mayor or any position. I hope Andreas Addison will run. I saw Chris hilbert is looking to run and I say no no no to him and Michelle mosby. But at the moment Andrea’s Addison is my top choice. 

[I miss RVA]

3 hours ago, Downtowner said:

So who runs for mayor in 2024 and who doesn’t. Who would you like to see as a mayor candidate and who would you not. I’m praying to dear lord that Kim gray never shows herself again for mayor or any position. I hope Andreas Addison will run. I saw Chris hilbert is looking to run and I say no no no to him and Michelle mosby. But at the moment Andrea’s Addison is my top choice. 

Addison says he's considering it.

[Downtowner]

Just an fyi sounds like capitals and wizards are moving to a new arena in nova. I’m worried what this may do to Richmond’s new arena in green city. Heard the arena in nova going to be 20,000 seats in Alexandria in the Potomac yards area. 

[Flood Zone]

13 hours ago, Downtowner said:

Just an fyi sounds like capitals and wizards are moving to a new arena in nova. I’m worried what this may do to Richmond’s new arena in green city. Heard the arena in nova going to be 20,000 seats in Alexandria in the Potomac yards area. 

I don't think it wound have much or any effect on the Green City arena. The purpose of the Potomac Yards deal is to give Leonsis land development rights he doesn't currently have. The move would have a massive effect on Capital One Arena and the surrounding neighborhood. (According to today's press conference, apparently the Mystics will move into Cap One and it will still be used for concerts. All of this is still dependent on the General Assembly funding the project.)

Edit: The DC mayor presented a very 11th hour counter-offer to Leonsis last night, and he's kind of ignored it. I think the end-game is that all this will make it more likely the Commanders (or whatever they're eventually called) will come back to the RFK site at a new stadium.

Edited December 13, 2023 by Flood Zone
Football implications

[I miss RVA]

13 hours ago, Downtowner said:

Just an fyi sounds like capitals and wizards are moving to a new arena in nova. I’m worried what this may do to Richmond’s new arena in green city. Heard the arena in nova going to be 20,000 seats in Alexandria in the Potomac yards area. 

I don't see any negative impact on an RVA arena in GreenCity at all. The new Potomac Yards facility would be only five miles south of Capital One Arena in downtown D.C., and would be roughly 80 or so miles north of GreenCity. It won't impact our new arena any more than if a new arena was built in the District. 

Edited December 13, 2023 by I miss RVA

[Flood Zone]

5 minutes ago, I miss RVA said:

I don't see any impact on an RVA arena in GreenCity at all. The new Potomac Yards facility would be only five miles south of Capital One Arena in downtown D.C., and would be roughly 80 or so miles north of GreenCity. It won't impact our new arena any more than if a new arena was built in the District. 

I guess one conceivable impact (potentially conceivable, I suppose) is it might make it relatively more likely the Wizards' G-League team (the Capital City Go-Go) moves into the Green City arena when it's done. Currently, they play in a small arena in DC, the Entertainment & Sports Area, which just so happens also to be where the Mystics play and the Wizards practice. Assuming Leonsis is more or less burning DC with this (Mystics would move to Cap One since he's bound to a facility lease there until 2037 or something like that), he could simply just vacate the ESA. Also, Leonsis said this morning that the Wizards/Caps market stretches from Richmond past Baltimore. He said this to say the right thing, given the Governor was in attendance, but it's undeniable that Richmond as a sports market has become more DC-centric, as opposed to formerly being just Redskins-centric. Sports radio here delves way more into Wizards, Caps, and Nats (at least when they were good), and DC morning and afternoon sports talk is simulcast here. At any rate, if the G-League team comes here, my family would definitely go (go-go?).

[I miss RVA]

6 minutes ago, Flood Zone said:

I guess one conceivable impact (potentially conceivable, I suppose) is it might make it relatively more likely the Wizards' G-League team (the Capital City Go-Go) moves into the Green City arena when it's done. Currently, they play in a small arena in DC, the Entertainment & Sports Area, which just so happens also to be where the Mystics play and the Wizards practice. Assuming Leonsis is more or less burning DC with this (Mystics would move to Cap One since he's bound to a facility lease there until 2037 or something like that), he could simply just vacate the ESA. Also, Leonsis said this morning that the Wizards/Caps market stretches from Richmond past Baltimore. He said this to say the right thing, given the Governor was in attendance, but it's undeniable that Richmond as a sports market has become more DC-centric, as opposed to formerly being just Redskins-centric. Sports radio here delves way more into Wizards, Caps, and Nats (at least when they were good), and DC morning and afternoon sports talk is simulcast here. At any rate, if the G-League team comes here, my family would definitely go (go-go?).

Good call, @Flood Zone-- and indeed, that would be a POSITIVE impact, all in all. Mind you, we have to actually build the damn arena in Green City in order to get the G-League team - but man, it would be a real plus. Something to hope for, to be sure. If, as Leonsis claims, the DC sports market now stretches as far south as metro Richmond, credit that to the success of the Nationals. It's always been a Redskins-Football Team-Commanders (or as I now refer to them as the Redballteammanderskins) market, but I really never paid much attention to the success/failure of the Caps or the Bullets/Wizards, with the exception of 1977-78 and '78-79 when the Bullets went to the NBA Finals against Seattle. From a Richmond sports perspective, I'd SOOO love it if -- with a new ballpark (IF it ever comes to pass) and the new arena (IF it ever comes to pass), the Squirrels could get boosted to AAA and shifted over to the Nats (not sure how MLB handles stuff like this), and if we could snag an ECHL (or would it be too much to hope for - an AHL) hockey team. If we could add the Wizards G-League squad to the mix - wow. 

Big dreams, I realize. But ya gotta dream big sometimes.

[eandslee]

Man, if this new arena at Potomac Yard gets built before the GreenCity Arena….

[I miss RVA]

3 hours ago, eandslee said:

Man, if this new arena at Potomac Yard gets built before the GreenCity Arena….

Believe me - it will.

They don't fool around up there in NOVA. They get stuff done there - which I guess you can do when you're  part of a metro area of nearly 6.4 million people - and part of the larger Washington-Baltimore CSA of more than 9.5 million.  Yet another of the infinite number of reasons I lament about our market size. We're too damn small. It's really frustrating. If we were a significantly larger market, stuff would get done much more readily here than it currently does. Yes - I realize that things DO get done here - but not NEARLY at the rate that they do in NOVA or Nashville or Austin or the Carolina cities. Stuff gets done in NOVA. Stuff sits around in RVA and waits for the economic situation to be "more favorable".  Why? Market size. At the end of the day, you can sugarcoat it all you want - it all comes down to market size. We're not big enough.

This is the one sticking point that frustrates the living daylights out of me.

Edited December 14, 2023 by I miss RVA

[Child2021]

Who remembers this former plan? 

Salomonsky, White eyeing two towers in Scott’s Addition - Richmond BizSense

[I miss RVA]

9 minutes ago, Child2021 said:

Who remembers this former plan? 

Salomonsky, White eyeing two towers in Scott’s Addition - Richmond BizSense

Yep. Mind you, what was ultimately built there is still nice - but man, it could have been so much more.

[Flood Zone]

17 hours ago, eandslee said:

Man, if this new arena at Potomac Yard gets built before the GreenCity Arena…

Looking at 2028 for that one. Still has to get approved by the General Assembly. I realize that this doesn't resolve your point!

14 hours ago, I miss RVA said:

Stuff gets done in NOVA.

It's all a balance. I know so many people who live up in NoVa and hate it there. Too trafficky, everything costs too much, etc. etc.

[I miss RVA]

25 minutes ago, Flood Zone said:

I know so many people who live up in NoVa and hate it there. Too trafficky, everything costs too much, etc. etc.

I hear you, and not to be disagreeable, I have to say that's not the point. The point is that stuff -- particularly big stuff -- actually gets done in larger markets such as NOVA, Atlanta, Austin, Nashville, etc. simply because it's the nature of the beast. Economies of scale tend to favor bigger markets.  Unfortunately, stuff -- like this (arena) kind of project -- languishes in the RVA market that otherwise wouldn't were we larger. That's just a simple fact.

[eandslee]

Well if 2028 is the date for the new arena at Potomac Yard, the GreenCity Arena is supposed to be completed in 2026. Hopefully, Henrico can keep to that schedule. 

[I miss RVA]

Just now, eandslee said:

Well if 2028 is the date for the new arena at Potomac Yard, the GreenCity Arena is supposed to be completed in 2026. Hopefully, Henrico can keep to that schedule. 

I'm not holding my breath at this point. Perhaps we'll have some movement on this in 2024.

Also what of the Diamond District and City Center? From the article we read a week or so ago, those initiatives have all but ground to a full-on halt. Hopefully 2024 will be a real kick-starter here. Powell announced yesterday that the Fed is planning up to three interest rate CUTS next year. Inflation has leveled off and, depending on the sector, come down -- slowly - but it's trending positively, finally. The supply-side constraints and constrictions present in the wake of the pandemic are FINALLY starting to unwind, and contrary to what all too many politicians, pundits, etc., have been saying (or worse -- NOT saying) the U.S. economy is emerging post-pandemic MUCH more robustly than most of the rest of the world, where the economic situation is still lagging for so many countries. We're trending in the right direction - and particularly if the Fed follows through with interest rate cuts next year, we could see a banner year for projects in metro RVA.

And for the first time ever in our community, I'm gonna say this - from MY keyboard to God's eyes. 

[Flood Zone]

25 minutes ago, I miss RVA said:

The point is that stuff -- particularly big stuff -- actually gets done in larger markets such as NOVA, Atlanta, Austin, Nashville, etc. simply because it's the nature of the beast. Economies of scale tend to favor bigger markets.  Unfortunately, stuff -- like this (arena) kind of project -- languishes in the RVA market that otherwise wouldn't were we larger. That's just a simple fact.

Well, I agree with that. It's undeniable. If that's all the point is, I agree 100%.

If there's a concomitant point that relates to quality of life, which I understand you're not making, I'd submit the grass isn't always greener.

[I miss RVA]

8 minutes ago, Flood Zone said:

Well, I agree with that. It's undeniable. If that's all the point is, I agree 100%.

If there's a concomitant point that relates to quality of life, which I understand you're not making, I'd submit the grass isn't always greener.

Agreed, and well said. 

[blopp1234]

56 minutes ago, I miss RVA said:

I hear you, and not to be disagreeable, I have to say that's not the point. The point is that stuff -- particularly big stuff -- actually gets done in larger markets such as NOVA, Atlanta, Austin, Nashville, etc. simply because it's the nature of the beast. Economies of scale tend to favor bigger markets.  Unfortunately, stuff -- like this (arena) kind of project -- languishes in the RVA market that otherwise wouldn't were we larger. That's just a simple fact.

I would strongly disagree about stuff getting done in NOVA. The amount of developments that have failed in Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax and Loudon easily exceeds failed developments in the Richmond metro area.

 

Also, regarding the caps and wizards move to Alexandria, there is already strong pushback from people, not just NIMBYs  about the teams being moved. Most of the discussion has to do with the arena being moved from a connecting point for all metro lines to being located further out with access to only 2 metro lines. Not to mention with metros potential budget cuts, the Potomac yard station, which is the only public transit to the stadium site, could be shut down due to lack of funding, which would create a nightmare for anyone living in Alexandria, Potomac yards or crystal city. 
 

 

[Shakman]

1 hour ago, blopp1234 said:

I would strongly disagree about stuff getting done in NOVA. The amount of developments that have failed in Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax and Loudon easily exceeds failed developments in the Richmond metro area.

 

Also, regarding the caps and wizards move to Alexandria, there is already strong pushback from people, not just NIMBYs  about the teams being moved. Most of the discussion has to do with the arena being moved from a connecting point for all metro lines to being located further out with access to only 2 metro lines. Not to mention with metros potential budget cuts, the Potomac yard station, which is the only public transit to the stadium site, could be shut down due to lack of funding, which would create a nightmare for anyone living in Alexandria, Potomac yards or crystal city. 
 

 

Yes development proposals do fail, however look on the flip side.  Many projects in NOVA have moved forward.

Edited December 15, 2023 by Shakman

[Child2021]

According to New Kent county, the county has 26,075 people residing there as of December 2023.

Monthly-Report-122023-PDF (new-kent.va.us)

[I miss RVA]

2 hours ago, blopp1234 said:

The amount of developments that have failed in Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax and Loudon easily exceeds failed developments in the Richmond metro area.

Not really a fair/accurate argument. Even without having any hard data to verify this, I would submit that the number of failed projects in NOVA easily exceeds the number of projects even PROPOSED in metro Richmond, much less failed. So the comparison/argument isn't really fair.