Squirrels ‘long and winding road’ journey ends

Article posted by Coliseum, September 13^th, 2024

Image: Minor League Baseball and RF Squirrels

September 6^th marked a “new beginning” for baseball in the River City (Richmond). Ahead of the Minor League Baseball (MiLB) team the Richmond Flying Squirrels playing their final game of the season at their home facility – The Diamond in Richmond, Virginia (US) – the City leaders broke ground on what will become the team’s new home in 2026, the ‘Carmax Park’.

‘wric.com’ stated that the highly anticipated ceremony was held on September 6th. It took place at the massive construction site just across the street from the current stadium. By 2026, that plot of land will be unrecognizable – and the September 6^th festivities represented a symbolic first step in that direction.

The Squirrels former head honcho Todd ‘Parney’ Parnell said, “It’s been a long and winding road but it’s in our rearview mirror now.”

The Squirrels had to face numerous obstacles for the last 15 years to bring to fruition their dream of a home ballpark and the September 6th sod-turning ceremony is indeed a watershed moment for them.

Image: Minor League Baseball and RF Squirrels

The Richmond Flying Squirrels are a Minor League Baseball (MiLB) team based in Richmond, Virginia (US). The team which is a part of the Eastern League is the Double-A affiliate of the Major League Baseball (MLB) team San Francisco Giants and plays at The Diamond.

The 9,560-capacity The Diamond is a baseball stadium located in Richmond, Virginia, US, on the Arthur Ashe Boulevard. It is the home of the Richmond Flying Squirrels of the Eastern League.

St. Petersburg (US)-based the Minor League Baseball (MiLB) is a professional baseball organization below the Major League Baseball (MLB) including teams affiliated with the MLB clubs. Entering the 2021 season, the number of full-season MLB-affiliated minor leagues with teams in the United States and Canada was reduced to 11 with a total of 120 teams.

New York (US)-based the Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league and the highest level of organized baseball in the United States and Canada. One of the big four major leagues, the MLB comprises 30 teams divided equally between the National League and the American League with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada.

Image: Minor League Baseball and RF Squirrels

The CarMax, Inc. is a used vehicle retailer based in the United States. It operates two business segments: The CarMax Sales Operations and the CarMax Auto Finance. The company began as a side business of the Circuit City (American consumer electronics retail company) opening its first location in September 1993 in Richmond, Virginia (US).

‘wric.com’ further stated that the City leaders gave speeches and smiled calling the “place of promise” a plethora of exciting, adoration-filled names – including “‘Nutzy and Nutasha’s’ (Richmond Flying Squirrels mascots) new home”.

Recently, the City of Richmond representatives, the baseball leaders and ‘Nutzy and Nutasha’ themselves unveiled the name of Richmond’s Flying Squirrels’ new ballpark. The ‘Carmax Park’ is one piece of the large-scale Diamond District development project.

The Diamond District is a redevelopment project in Richmond, Virginia that will create a mixed-use, mixed-income urban destination.

The Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney called it the “catalyst for the City’s future.”

Image: Minor League Baseball and RF Squirrels

Then, on September 6^th, Richmond saw the culmination of ‘Squirrels Week’ at the Carmax Park’s groundbreaking ceremony. Friends and strangers’ alike joined together setting foot on the place representing a new vision for Richmond tourism, entertainment and, of course, baseball.

Many have been waiting on for this very day for 15 years, so the energy cascading across the vast plot of land was palpable.

The leaders dug shovels in the ground – representing the end of one chapter and the beginning of an entirely new story.

Few people can say they have as strong a bond with the Squirrels as Todd ‘Parney’ Parnell. He spoke out at nearly every event leading up to the September 6th groundbreaking, including September 4^th name reveal.

On September 4^th it was announced that Richmond’s new baseball stadium will be named the CarMax Park. The Richmond-area-based used car retailer CarMax announced the long-awaited rename at a presser held on the occasion.

Pointed out Parnell, “Just know that the journey was a long one, but that it’s in our rearview mirror and, today (September 6^th) we’re all about the future and what the future is going to bring.”

He started his speech on September 6^th by laughing at the fact that his notes said to briefly describe that journey. It’s been a long and winding road. The initial vision for a revitalized, modern Diamond District began about 15 years ago. However, the project has moved slowly since the beginning.

Since then, the leaders have endured a variety of obstacles. At one point, the leaders even feared the City would lose the team after the Major League Baseball (MLB) set a deadline for the Squirrels to have a new, state-of-the-art venue that complies with the modern, professional standards.

Added Parnell, “We’re all going to be better now having this new facility. But, I don’t think we’d be as strong as we are now if we didn’t have to go through with the last 15 years that we went through.”

The Carmax and the Squirrels hosted a ‘Fan Festival’ – filled with live entertainment, autographs, food, and spirit – across the street, over at the lawn in front of The Diamond, after the groundbreaking.

CarMax Edge

‘AXIOS Richmond’ stated that what matters is that it’s the first time in about 40 years that the City’s ballpark won’t be called ‘The Diamond’.

The Flying Squirrels Managing General Partner Lou DiBella partly credits CarMax for being the reason Richmond won’t lose its Minor League Baseball (MiLB) team.

‘AXIOS Richmond’ further stated that the stadium is key to a $2.4 billion redevelopment in the Diamond District.

Neither the team nor the retailer went into detail about how long the multiyear naming rights partnership will last nor how much CarMax is paying.

But, in the minors, the naming rights deals typically go on for up to 20 years.

For the non-baseball fans, the CarMax Park will also be home to “large-scale events year-round, including concerts, festivals and community gatherings. It will have “a 360-degree, wraparound concourse”, a “multitiered beer garden” inspired by Scott’s Addition (a historic district in Richmond, Virginia that was once a major industrial hub and is now a popular dining and drinking destination), a kids zone, 20 luxury suites, public art spaces, murals, and more.

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