CarMax Park sign up as $6.5M dispute emerges
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Hope the workers have waterproof boots on to survive that mud. Photo: Sabrina Moreno/Axios
The CarMax Park signs are officially up and crowning the city's new ballpark.
Why it matters: Behind the scenes, the Flying Squirrels' parent company is threatening legal action against the city's Economic Development Authority over stadium-related costs.
Driving the news: An attorney for Navigators Baseball — which owns the Squirrels and is developing the stadium — sent a letter to the EDA this week claiming the company is owed $6.5 million, reports BizSense.
- Navigators said the money covers construction costs it paid upfront, including $2.5 million to upgrade VCU's facilities, with the understanding that EDA would reimburse those expenses.
- The group warned that failing to reimburse the money could jeopardize the stadium's April opening.
Zoom in: The letter also pushed back on comments made by city administrator Sharon Ebert at a City Council committee meeting where she suggested the EDA might need its own operating agreement with VCU.
- Navigators said a separate EDA-VCU deal would violate its lease with the EDA and potentially Major League Baseball rules.
Ebert and the EDA didn't comment on what they plan to do next, but the city confirmed receipt of the letter to Axios.
- "We are committed to working — diligently and transparently — with all of our partners to build a vibrant and thriving Diamond District," said chief administrative officer Odie Donald II in a statement.
- "While there is still work to do, we're on the right track."
The bottom line: At least drivers on Arthur Ashe can enjoy the new CarMax signs while waiting for the latest stadium-related dispute to settle.
Go deeper: What to know about the VCU–Flying Squirrels fight over CarMax Park