RICHMOND, Va. (WTVR) --Richmond City council members are now considering an alternative development baseball stadium proposal for the Boulevard that was submitted by a group of private developers.
The developers are not yet ready to go public, but City Council Member Jon Baliles said the Boulevard plan presented by those developers would not use taxpayer dollars to build a new baseball stadium on the Boulevard.
According to Baliles, the Mayor’s current plan would cost the city $80 million, which would go toward building a new stadium in Shockoe Bottom, infrastructure improvements in the area, and a slavery heritage site.
Baliles said the private developers are willing to build with their own money a new stadium on ten of 61 acres on the Boulevard, as well as pay for the land.
However, he said with both proposals the city would still pick up the tab for site improvement costs on the Boulevard, which would cost around $7.5 million.
Baliles said the private developers met with all of the council members and the administration within the last month to show them the proposal.
After learning about the alternative proposal, Baliles submitted six budget amendments that reallocate the money that would have gone toward the Mayor’s proposal.
Baliles told CBS 6 this is “not a vote for the new proposal, and it is not a vote against the mayor’s proposal.”
Council members will vote Thursday on those amendments.
