19 Responses to “baseball for Manchester?”

1. posted by Omelette at July 2, 2009 9:47 am :
   

   Fine with me. Anywhere but Boulevard, I say.

   Or Short Pump, of course, but that goes without saying.

2. posted by Scott Burger at July 2, 2009 10:08 am :
   

   Machester is better than Shockoe Bottom for a location, but show me the money.

   Or not. All this baseball discussion is distracting from more important priorities for the City. While I enjoy the amenities and new development of ‘the River District’, there are other parts of Richmond that deserve attention and care.

3. posted by Stuart at July 2, 2009 10:20 am :
   

   They timed this “announcement” so that it would overshadow Charlie Diradour’s scheduled 10am press conference which should be taking place as I type this. He’s been saying for a week he will announce big news about the Diamond site today.

   As for the Manchester “proposal”:

   “Unequivocally, we are not considering any proposal for a baseball stadium on that site,” Tammy D. Hawley, the mayor’s press secretary, said yesterday.

4. posted by jacqui at July 2, 2009 10:28 am :
   

   Yes, because there is no proposal, which is said above. This is just talk.

5. posted by tvnewsbadge at July 2, 2009 11:14 am :
   

   As I said elsewhere THIS is a plan that makes sense. There ain’t squat down there now and it’s an area of no known historic value.

   And best of all, unlike other ares in the city, what few residents there are down there will welcome the development with open arms.

   But wasn’t this idea floated before and rejected out of hand because South Richmond is held in such disrepute by the other neighborhood communities in River City and if you built it, they won’t come?

6. posted by paul_h at July 2, 2009 11:25 am :
   

   The most dramatic proposal was located on Mayo Island, the site of a former ballpark at the turn of the century. It had a spectacular view of downtown.

7. posted by Omelette at July 2, 2009 5:09 pm :
   

   Good lord, our local news is laughably lazy. Charlie Diradour appoints himself as the head of “Friends of Richmond Baseball,” and all of a sudden he’s the go-to guy for any news story involving the ballpark?

   Alright media, two can play that game.

   I hereby declare myself chairman of “Richmonders for Tasty Beer.” Whenever a new bar opens, you don’t have a fair and balanced story until you’ve interviewed me. Deal?

8. posted by Omelette at July 2, 2009 5:32 pm :
   

   While I’m at it, I’ll also go ahead and head up the Capitol City Yachting Coalition, Angus Beef Enthusiasts of Virginia, and the Greater Richmond Sorority Authority.

   YES. Declaring yourself an expert RULES.

   Praise be to Diradour!

9. posted by Jacqui at July 2, 2009 6:33 pm :
   

   TNB- I know there isn’t a proposal yet, but it seems like if they did it right, they could overcome such a bad rep. I imagine a nice stadium with a designated form of transportation (bring back trolleys!) that loops around the Manchester bridge through the slip and back across the 14th St bridge. And who knows, maybe this could boost the neighborhood.

10. posted by tvnewsbadge at July 2, 2009 9:17 pm :
    

    Re#7

    Charlie Diradour took the bull by the horns when others feared to do so.
    Best person for the job? Well, maybe, maybe not, but you certainly didn’t see anyone else stepping up to the plate.

11. posted by FanGuy at July 2, 2009 10:46 pm :
    

    “Others feared to do so”??? Give me a break. He’s an opportunist and is looking out for (1) his real estate holdings, and (2) a possible run for local political office.

    Meanwhile the media is for some reason lapping up his nonsense, showing up to press conferences where he does nothing but announce that he has a new web site.

    It would be hilarious if it all wasn’t so sad.

12. posted by paul_h at July 2, 2009 10:51 pm :
    

    Omelette is willing to take the job.

13. posted by Robert at July 3, 2009 12:03 am :
    

    Sounds interesting – I’ve known Reynolds/ ALCOA was looking to get land off their hands and sell it to the highest bidder for a while. A few local civil engineering companies are looking at the old automation plant next to Riverfront Towers on Byrd for development too. If (huge if) it’s decided put a ballpark here – parking security better be tight. There are bums around Shockoe Bottom that will saw out your car’s catalytic converter and sell it to the metal recycler on Hull in Manchester. Catalytic converters have platinum = cash for weed, booze, smack – whatever their fix is.

14. posted by Omelette at July 3, 2009 9:24 am :
    

    Of course he did – he’s a *real estate developer* who didn’t have a piece of the Shockoe Center pie. I’d be pissed too.

    But come on, let’s not pretend he’s doing this out of the goodness of his heart.

    In any case, should be fun to watch. Let’s see how the back-seat driver does behind the wheel, eh?

    Regards,

    Omelette
    Chair, Capitol City Yachting Coalition

15. posted by RVA123 at July 4, 2009 2:19 pm :
    

    I really wish Richmond would put all the baseball/no baseball talk to bed. Let’s take the path of least resistance: a) Refurbish the Diamond b) Get Nolan Ryan’s or Bill Murray’s team here. The stadium is already there, let’s use it. We’re wasting time with new stadium plans.

16. posted by Omelette at July 5, 2009 10:56 pm :
    

    Well, I may not agree with them, but I’m heartened that all the Diamond-boosters at least admit the stadium is a dump in desperate need of a hefty makeover before it’s ready for baseball again.

    On the other hand, what does it say about our city when we just tolerate awful buildings that everyone hates – for years on end?

    Not much, I’m afraid.

17. posted by Baseball in Richmond | RVANews at July 6, 2009 11:51 am :
    

    [...] Reynolds Packaging Group suggests Manchester for a new stadium [...]

18. posted by jerry at July 6, 2009 12:04 pm :
    

    GO TEAM!

19. posted by Thoughtwoman at July 15, 2009 6:52 am :
    

    Go Manchester.
    Richmond needs a team, and Manchester needs a facelift. The average Richmonder (not just a wealthy developer) could be treated to a beautiful view of the skyline of Richmod. Kathy Graziano says that she hasn’t heard of this proposal.. I think city council needs to hear our thoughts.

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