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Richmond's CarMax Park Is Almost Here — And the Countdown Is On

By Billy Briefman · March 1, 2026 · 5 min read read

Category: Sports

Close-up of a baseball diamond showing grass and dirt infield lines

After 15 years of waiting, Richmond's Flying Squirrels are days away from Opening Night at a brand-new ballpark that promises to be more than a place to watch baseball.

RICHMOND, Va. — Thirty-seven days. That's all that separates Richmond from one of the biggest nights in the city's sports history. On April 7, 2026, the Richmond Flying Squirrels will play their first-ever game at CarMax Park — a state-of-the-art, 10,000-capacity entertainment venue that has been 15 years in the making and is already reshaping Richmond's Northside.

"Our incredibly loyal and passionate fan base has waited 15 years for this moment. We can officially start the countdown to April 7, 2026, and our first game at CarMax Park. It will be a celebration like no other."
— Lou DiBella, Flying Squirrels Managing Partner (Source: MiLB.com, Aug. 11, 2025)

Opening Night: April 7, 2026

The Flying Squirrels open their inaugural home schedule with a six-game series against the Altoona Curve, the Double-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates, running April 7–12. It will be the first of 69 home games at CarMax Park in 2026, with the season stretching through mid-September.

Demand for Opening Night tickets was so intense that the organization instituted a lottery system. Individual game tickets start at $10, and according to the team, more than 45 percent of the main seating bowl is priced in line with what fans paid for day-of-game tickets at The Diamond in 2025 — a deliberate commitment to keeping games accessible for Richmond families.

Get your tickets now: milb.com/richmond/tickets

What to Expect Inside CarMax Park

Situated on Arthur Ashe Boulevard and anchoring the first phase of the 67-acre Diamond District redevelopment, CarMax Park has been designed from the ground up as what the team describes as "a uniquely Richmond destination" with year-round use in mind. According to the venue's official site, it is positioned as "Richmond's newest multi-use entertainment venue" and "a cornerstone of the new Diamond District development." (Source: carmaxpark.com)

Among the headline features, as described on carmaxpark.com:

More Than a Ballpark

With fewer than 70 Flying Squirrels home dates on the calendar each season, the vision for CarMax Park extends well beyond baseball. General Manager Anthony Oppermann has made clear that the venue is designed for concerts potentially drawing 12,000 to 13,000 people, comedy shows, jazz performances, corporate events, and private celebrations. The first taste of that broader vision comes even before the first pitch: a free Nutzy's Block Party is scheduled for March 7, 2026, at the CarMax Park entrance plaza, featuring kids' activities and team engagement for the public. (Source: MiLB.com)

The naming rights partnership with CarMax carries local significance. The Fortune 500 auto retailer was founded in Richmond in 1993, employs more than 2,300 people in the region, and operates its Digital and Technology Innovation Center less than a mile and a half from the ballpark site. The company holds multi-year exclusive naming rights. (Source: CarMax investor press release, 2024)

The End of an Era at The Diamond

CarMax Park rises from a push for a new Richmond ballpark that dates back more than two decades. Years of debate — including controversial proposals to build in Shockoe Bottom, a neighborhood whose painful history as a hub of the domestic slave trade drove significant community opposition — ultimately led to the current site on the city's Northside. (Source: Wikipedia/CarMax Park)

The Diamond, the Squirrels' home since 2010, will be demolished once CarMax Park opens. Its site will be redeveloped as part of the broader Diamond District, which will eventually include apartments, affordable housing, hotels, retail, restaurants, and public green space. (Source: carmaxpark.com)

In their final season at The Diamond, the Flying Squirrels drew more than 400,000 fans — averaging nearly 6,800 per game, the highest average in the team's franchise history and the best mark among all 30 Double-A clubs for the fourth year running. The fans who packed that aging stadium are the same ones who will fill CarMax Park come April.

April 7 is right around the corner, Richmond. Don't miss your chance to be part of history.

Tickets and season memberships are available now at milb.com/richmond/tickets or by calling (804) 359-FUNN.

Sources