Is Richmond Losing The Braves?

Well who didn’t see this coming? Surprise! Apparently Richmond is losing it’s minor league baseball team, the Richmond Braves. Mayor Doug Wilder is most likely to blame. The city scrapped plans to build a new stadium that would have almost certainly gotten the Braves to stay in Richmond. It was supposed to be constructed either in Shockoe Bottom or the riverfront, either of which would have greatly enhanced the city’s charm and character. Doug Wilder, while facilitating new programs and initiatives to improve the city in many ways, has also hurt it in many others. This is probably one of the biggest.

The Richmond City Council needs a major overhaul. Heck, it seems that half of the council has been in legal trouble or even jailed in the last four or five years. Either way, Mayor Wilder is going to have to face some tough questions in the coming days and weeks about his decision to scrap a new city stadium.

A press conference scheduled for 3:30 this afternoon will supposedly confirm the rumors of the team’s decision to move to Georgia, near the parent club (the Atlanta Braves). If the rumors are true, the Braves will leave in 2009.

One Richmond resident who voiced his opinion on the news yesterday said he wasn’t surprised the Braves would leave because “the only attractions at The Diamond are the Diamond Duck and two dollar specials on hot dogs and draft beer.” I couldn’t agree more. Come on, Wilder. Get it together.