‘A different experience’: New home of the Flying Squirrels is taking shape

RICHMOND, Va. (WWBT) - With the foul poles up, suite windows installed and some fresh paint, CarMax Park is taking shape.

Next spring, catching a home run ball will be possible at a Richmond Flying Squirrels game for the first time ever.

“It’s just going to be such a different experience for fans from the moment they walk in CarMax Park,” said Flying Squirrels General Manager Anthony Opperman.

A 360-degree concourse will allow for outfield seating. There will be luxury seats along with a beer garden. The idea is to have it resemble a Major League ballpark and environment.

“These little moments that we have an opportunity to capitalize on and really kind of create those memories, even tenfold relative to what we have here at The Diamond,” said Opperman.

Construction crews are now preparing for colder days, to make sure all of the progress can continue up until Opening Day.

“We’ll have permanent power,” said Patrick Albrecht, project executive. “We’ll start having conditioning, so heating and cooling within the building.”

This will keep crews on track in the winter months to open CarMax Park next spring. Albrecht also says his team is working on some of the inside finishing touches like tile in bathrooms, drywall flooring and plumbing fixtures, which should be wrapped up in the beginning of 2026.

“Most importantly, right now, is the playing field is preparing to be sodded at the end of the month, beginning of October, we’ll have the playing surface turned over this year,” Albrecht said.

Seats will be going in around that same time. They’ll be bigger and more comfortable than the ones at The Diamond.

The hope is CarMax Park will be used for more than just watching baseball.

“There’ll be an option for us to actually drop garage doors and close the concourse and have a fully conditioned space,” said Opperman. “It’s 5,000 square feet right behind home plate.”

Officials say CarMax Park has the potential to be a 12,000-person performance venue if they utilize the field for seats too.

The Flying Squirrels are already looking into other ways to leverage the space.

“Red brick walls, real cool Scotts Addition vibe. So you can think of comedy shows, jazz concerts, all kinds of different things right there in that spot behind home plate,” said Opperman.

While this weekend’s goodbye to The Diamond may be bittersweet, there’s plenty to look forward to in the new era ahead.

“It’s definitely going to be a change for fans ... get those tickets early,” Opperman said.

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While this weekend marks the end of an era for the Flying Squirrels, baseball at The Diamond will continue in early 2025 at VCU will play their season there. Their season begins before the Flying Squirrels and before CarMax park will be fully ready.

It will then be on the city of Richmond to demolish The Diamond and move on to a new phase of the Diamond District.

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