The City of Richmond, along with the Richmond Economic Development Authority, Navigators Baseball LLC (Richmond Flying Squirrels), and other stakeholders, held a ribbon-cutting ceremony at CarMax Park on April 9 to mark the stadium’s official opening before the Flying Squirrels’ 2026 home opener.
The opening of CarMax Park is seen as a major milestone in transforming the Diamond District into a sports and entertainment destination for residents and visitors. The new venue is designed to host thousands of fans for baseball games as well as concerts, festivals, community gatherings, and corporate events throughout the year.
Mayor Danny Avula said, “We are thrilled to finally cut the ribbon and open the gates on this stunning anchor to what will surely be a corridor-of-choice for residents and visitors near and far. Walking through the park, seeing the joy and feeling the energy, it’s impossible not to get excited about what the park means for this area and for our City and I can’t wait to see how the Diamond District continues to unfold over the coming years.”
The stadium project was led by Gilbane Building Company as general contractor with project management from Navigators Stadium Developer LP through Machete Group. The event included remarks from city officials such as Cynthia Newbille (Richmond City Council President), Katherine Jordan (Council Vice President), Stephanie Lynch, Nicole Jones, Sarah Abubaker; representatives from CarMax; Ben Rothrock (COO of Richmond Flying Squirrels); Lou DiBella (President & Managing General Partner); Sarah Lane (CMO of CarMax); Morgan Sword (Executive VP of Baseball Operations at Major League Baseball); among others.
Angie Rodgers, Director of Economic Development for Richmond said: “CarMax Park is an incredible addition to Richmond and a powerful reflection of our city’s energy and momentum. We’re excited to kick off the season in this amazing venue and to see the continued transformation of the Diamond District come to life.”
Looking ahead, further development around CarMax Park includes new residential units such as The Doma multifamily building with 274 units; an office building; structured parking; plans for a hotel; retail space; affordable housing units; all part of Phase 1A in partnership with Thalhimer Realty Partners/Diamond District Partners. These projects aim to create a connected neighborhood that supports local businesses while enhancing quality of life.
