RICHMOND, Va. -- Dozens of families turned out for the free event, which featured food, live music, a new team store and the chance to buy single-game tickets for the inaugural season at Carmax Park — where opening night is already sold out.
The Richmond Flying Squirrels are exactly one month away from opening day at their new home, and the team celebrated the milestone with their annual Nutzy's Block Party at Carmax Park — giving the public its first look inside the new ballpark.
Dozens of families came out for the free event, which offered food, live music, and the chance to shop at the brand-new Squirrel's Nest team store. Fans also had the opportunity to meet Nutzy and his teammates.
Single-game tickets for the entire home schedule were available for purchase at the event — with one exception. Opening night on April 7 is already sold out.
General Manager Anthony Oppermann said demand for opening night tickets was so overwhelming that the team implemented a lottery system to manage it.
"The way we finished the Diamond era with three straight sellouts, we really thought that's how we would start the era at Carmax Park, and it's been tremendous, the response from the community," Oppermann said. "I think it just goes to show that Richmond is a baseball town."
Oppermann said the entire opening week — all six games from Tuesday, April 7 through Sunday — will be treated as a weeklong celebration, with fans who purchased tickets for Wednesday through Sunday getting a similar experience to those who secured opening night tickets.
Oppermann said Nutzy's Block Party marked the first time the majority of the public had been able to see inside Carmax Park, and he said the reactions have been striking — even with the venue still in its final stages.
"We haven't even turned the LED displays on. We don't have the music. We don't have the team on the field yet, so you can only imagine what that excitement level is going to be in a game environment," Oppermann said.
A completely different experience
Oppermann said the new venue will offer fans an experience unlike anything Richmond has seen before.
"Whatever anyone in Richmond imagined the baseball experience to be — it's going to be completely different. A 360-degree wraparound concourse with views of the field no matter where you're at. Incredible vantage points. No matter where you're at in the venue, you're going to feel connected," Oppermann said.
He said fans will be immersed in the experience the moment they walk through the gates, rather than being met with a wall of steps as at The Diamond.
The new concourses are twice as wide as those at The Diamond, and the venue features twice as many restrooms. Capacity at Carmax Park will be comparable to The Diamond — and potentially slightly larger.
Oppermann said affordability was a priority in setting ticket prices. He said 90% of individual game tickets are priced at $24 or less. Among the new seating options is a section of knothole seats priced at $12, which Oppermann described as offering a vantage point no fan has ever had at a Richmond professional baseball game.
"Somebody's going to catch a home run for the first time in Richmond professional baseball history this year. Can't wait to celebrate that moment and all the firsts here at Carmax Park," Oppermann said.
Other new amenities include a patio area down the left field line with a 27-tap bar priced at $10 for standing room, a 5,000-square-foot covered area behind home plate called the Backstop open to all fans during games, lawn seating in right field, and expanded concession options including offerings for fans with food allergies or sensitivities.
Built for everyone
Oppermann said inclusivity was a driving force behind the design of the new facility, which features a main entry ramp that puts fans directly on the concourse level without navigating multiple flights of stairs. The venue also includes a sensory room, a nursing room, accessible seating throughout, and closed captioning on LED displays.
"To have a venue that's more inclusive and accessible for all fans — to have accessible seating throughout the venue, to have a sensory room, to have a nursing room, to have all of these things that really create a more inclusive environment — is so important to us," Oppermann said.
He also noted that Carmax Park is designed to host non-game events, including festivals, concerts, and fundraisers.
Why a new ballpark?
For fans who may be reluctant to leave behind the memories of The Diamond, Oppermann acknowledged the wait for a new facility was long — 16 years since the team arrived in Richmond in 2009 — but said the result speaks for itself.
"This is a venue that was built as something to make Richmond proud. Something that we kind of have as an asset to our city," Oppermann said.
He also said the new ballpark meets Major League Baseball's current player development requirements, providing a better environment for the stars of the future.
Oppermann said the finishing touches are being put on the venue now — furniture, signage, and similar details — and expressed confidence the ballpark will be ready for opening night. He credited the project team, including general contractor Gilbane and its subcontractors and architects, for keeping the project on track.
"It's nothing short of a miracle that we're here right now and we're able to bring fans in. This means something to the people, the men and women who worked on this project. They have a lot of pride in this. A lot of them are from Richmond," Oppermann said.
His message to skeptics and first-time visitors alike was simple.
"Come out and try it that one time, and I'm pretty sure you'll see — oh, this is what they were talking about all along. You don't have to love baseball to really come and enjoy the experience here. We're about family, we're about having a good time, and all that happens here. There just happens to be a baseball game going on in the background," Oppermann said.
The Squirrel's Nest team store will be accessible to fans on both game days and non-game days from the street front.
Fans who were unable to attend the block party can purchase single-game tickets online.
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