There was a long stretch of time where Richmonders found themselves at odds over the future of Shockoe Bottom, and the possible baseball stadium which could have been.
There was a long stretch of time where Richmonders found themselves at odds over the future of Shockoe Bottom, and the possible baseball stadium which could have been.
Now, with the Mayor retracting his plans, we’ve entered a new phase in city planning where no one really seems to know whats next for Downtown RVA.
But that hasn’t stopped those who still oppose a new stadium from being built… even if there’s no real plan for them to oppose yet.
CBS 6 covered a protest hoping to wrap a “ring around the diamond” with people against the unconfirmed plan this past weekend. Event planners said they expected thousands to show up, but it appears from the video below, the numbers were much less than that.
Despite a low turn out against the stadium, there is still a begrudged internet-activism community set on exploding any online discourse about the issue.
Style Weekly ran an OpEd by John Bates, general counsel of Venture Richmond and a “key booster” for the Shockoe plan. Here’s some highlights from his argument:
The results are obvious to those not blinded by misguided passion — a 60-acre Boulevard site dedicated to intense development producing lots of tax revenue, a revitalized Shockoe Bottom, long bypassed because of flood plain issues, and the realization, finally, of an appropriate memorial to African-American heritage. No alternative can match the benefits of the plan nor provide the long-term impact for our city.
The comments on the Style Weekly story would suggest there’s still a great battle to be fought here in RVA – pitting Fan hipster against Downtown hipster, Fan slumlord vs. Museum District slumlord, and Northside yuppie against… Church Hill yuppie.
No matter what city council decides, or if the Mayor has a new plan together by the early fall, I encourage everyone to take a drive through the bottom and let us know what you think should be done with the area in the comments below.
