VCU’s Athletic Village stalled, downsized amid pending deal and increased costs
Rendering of the new VCU Athletic Village. The project is delayed until the Sports Backers Stadium is sold to the city and has been decreased in scope due to rising costs. Image courtesy of VCU.
Molly Manning, News Editor
Progress on VCU’s incoming Athletic Village is being stalled as the university has yet to reach a deal to sell Sports Backers Stadium to the city. The scope for the project was reduced accordingly.
The 42-acre compound — which will provide new facilities for soccer, tennis and other sports teams — will be located in the Diamond District. Construction started in November 2024 and it was originally planned to finish in 2026, ahead of the spring 2026 season, though VCU officials have not confirmed if they will still meet that deadline.
The Board of Visitors presented revised project plans for the first construction phase at a meeting on Sept. 11. Chief financial officer Meredith Weiss said the project’s scope would be adjusted due to elevated construction costs.
In the revised plan, the outdoor track facility will seat 1,000 spectators, about 500 less than originally planned, and the total area covered by the stadium will be decreased by about 6,000 square feet.
The stadium has served as a practice and game hub for VCU and Virginia Union University teams since 1999.
Sports Backers will provide VCU with the $25 million and land space needed to continue construction of Athletic Village off of Hermitage Road, according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch.
“The board initially approved in December 2024 the project plans, since then we’ve had escalating costs, I don’t think that’s a surprise to anyone,” Weiss said.
VCU’s Athletic Village is one piece of larger redevelopment plans for Richmond’s Diamond District. The area’s namesake stadium recently closed to make way for CarMax Park, the new home for the Richmond Flying Squirrels minor league baseball team. The stadium will be complemented by new housing, a hotel, a park and commercial space.
VCU officials declined multiple requests for comment — but they referred to a previous statement by athletics director Ed McLaughlin.
The ongoing negotiations have slowed down, but not stopped, the work on phase one of development, according to McLaughlin.
“While I cannot comment on the nature of those negotiations, I expect those negotiations to conclude soon,” McLaughlin stated. “At that point, we will accelerate our work and finish in a timely manner.”
