The Diamond
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| The Diamond | |
|---|---|
| Location | 3001 N Boulevard Richmond, VA 23230 |
| Opened | 1985 |
| Owner | Richmond Metropolitan Authority |
| Operator | Richmond Metropolitan Authority |
| Surface | Grass |
| Tenants | Richmond Braves (International League) (1985-Present) VCU Rams (CAA) (1985-Present) |
| Capacity | 12,134 |
| Field dimensions | Left Field — 330 feet Center Field — 402 feet Right Field — 330 feet |
The Diamond, a stadium located in Richmond, Virginia, USA, on Boulevard, is the home of the Richmond Braves, the AAA affiliate of the Atlanta Braves since 1964, as well as the Virginia Commonwealth University baseball team. Originally known as Parker Field, it was completely rebuilt and renamed in 1985 and seats 12,134 people. In 2003, part of its roof was destroyed by Hurricane Isabel, and in 2004 a piece of a concrete beam fell on the stands below, though no fans were injured.
The Richmond Braves are scheduled to move to Gwinnett County, Georgia in 2009. One factor in the franchise's decision to relocate was reportedly a failure to reach and agreement on building a new ballpark in Richmond. There was plan by a development group called the Richmond Baseball Initiative to build a new stadium in Shockoe Bottom near Main Street Station. Under the plan, the Richmond Braves would have moved to the new stadium while the Diamond would become the sole home to Virginia Commonwealth University athletics. VCU Baseball currently shares the facility with the Braves for home play. The Diamond is owned by the Richmond Metropolitan Authority, which currently leases the facility to the Richmond Braves and VCU. It is not clear whether another minor league team would move to Richmond and whether a new home would be built for it. Some sports writers have speculated that a double-A Eastern League team might replace the triple-A Braves.
Parker Field had been built in 1934, as part of the fair grounds. It was converted for baseball in 1954, replacing Mooers Field.
[edit] External links
| Current ballparks in the International League | ||||
| North Division | South Division | West Division | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alliance Bank Stadium • Coca-Cola Park Frontier Field • Dunn Tire Park McCoy Stadium • PNC Field |
The Diamond • Durham Bulls Athletic Park Harbor Park • Knights Stadium |
Cooper Stadium • Fifth Third Field Louisville Slugger Field • Victory Field |
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