EDA Offered VCU Lease Extension While Ordering Squirrels Out of the Diamond

By Billy Briefman · October 14, 2026 · 3 min read read

Category: Sports

Originally reported by The Richmonder . Richmond Economic Development Authority officials offered Virginia Commonwealth University the option to extend its lease at The Diamond while...

Originally reported by The Richmonder.

Richmond Economic Development Authority officials offered Virginia Commonwealth University the option to extend its lease at The Diamond while simultaneously ordering the Richmond Squirrels to vacate the stadium by next year.

The discrepancy in treatment between the two primary tenants of the aging stadium highlights ongoing tensions surrounding the Diamond District redevelopment project. While the city moves forward with plans for a new ballpark, the future of professional and collegiate baseball at the current site remains in flux according to reporting by The Richmonder.

Conflicting Directives for Stadium Tenants

The Richmond Economic Development Authority (EDA) sent a formal notice to the Richmond Squirrels, the Double-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants, requiring the team to vacate The Diamond following the 2025 season. This directive aligns with the city's timeline to demolish the existing structure to make way for the $2.4 billion Diamond District mixed-use development.

However, internal communications and documents obtained by The Richmonder reveal that the EDA provided VCU with a different set of options. The university, which uses the stadium for its Division I baseball program, received an offer that included a potential lease extension beyond the date set for the Squirrels' departure.

Impact on Diamond District Timeline

The city aims to complete a new, 9,000-capacity stadium by April 2026 to meet Major League Baseball’s facility standards. Failure to meet these standards puts the Squirrels at risk of losing their Professional Development League license. The EDA's decision to offer VCU continued access to the current site suggests a staggered approach to the demolition process, though officials have not publicly clarified how the stadium can remain operational for one tenant but not the other.

The Squirrels have played at The Diamond since arriving in Richmond in 2010. The team has consistently expressed a desire to remain in the city but requires a facility that meets modern professional requirements. VCU has also been a long-term partner at the site, contributing to maintenance and operational costs over the years.

Future of Richmond Baseball

The Diamond District project represents one of the largest economic development efforts in RVA history. Beyond the new ballpark, the plan includes thousands of residential units, a hotel, and retail space. The current lease negotiations indicate that the transition from the old stadium to the new infrastructure remains a complex logistical challenge for city leadership under Mayor Danny Avula.

Neither the EDA nor VCU officials have provided a public explanation for the differing lease offers as of the latest reports. The Squirrels organization continues to prepare for the upcoming seasons while navigating the uncertainty of their home field status after 2025.

This article is based on reporting originally published by The Richmonder. Channel RVA provides this coverage with additional local context for the Richmond community.