EDA director to Squirrels owner: I hope 'cooler heads can prevail'
Richmond Economic Development Authority Director Angie Rodgers broke her silence Tuesday regarding the ongoing feuds at CarMax Park involving Richmond Flying Squirrels owner Lou DiBella.
The email, obtained by The Richmonder, specifically addressed questions by DiBella's lawyers over whether the team would have access to the main entrance of the stadium during a planned WinterWorld event, but also spoke to the team's relationship with the city more broadly.
Rodgers noted that she was corresponding directly with DiBella, rather than his legal team.
"I am responding back to you rather than to them because I believe this is an unnecessary way for us and our teams to communicate with each other regarding operational issues at the stadium," she wrote. "If this is how the duration of your tenancy at CarMax Park is going to proceed, then we have a long and arduous road ahead of us."
Wednesday morning, Richmond BizSense reported that DiBella had amended his lawsuit against Thalhimer Realty Partners, adding six additional counts of defamation, including one related to an account of DiBella's dog biting a Thalhimer official that appeared in The Richmonder.
Michael Phillips
DiBella's legal team had also sent letters to Rodgers demanding assurances that construction would not block the entrance to the stadium during the WinterWorld event.
The most recent letter obtained by The Richmonder, dated July 15, was written by ArentFox Schiff attorney Kelli Scheid Smith, and requests an answer from Rodgers "by the close of business on Friday July 17th," adding that "further silence will be treated as an anticipatory breach of the EDA's obligations under the Lease."
Rodgers' Tuesday email to DiBella acknowledges receiving "several letters and numerous email from your attorneys regarding this matter."
Graham Moomaw
"I hope, however, that cooler heads can prevail," Rodgers wrote. "I believe that if we had been able to bring the two teams together that last week of May/first week of June, we would have gotten to a resolution then. Instead, before a solution could be proposed and only days after I learned of the issue and while I was still communicating with DDP/Whiting Turner to confirm a work-around, I get a letter from your attorney that seemed less directed at a resolution to an operational issue and more directed at setting up some future legal action over your lease."
She continued: "Our landlord/tenant relationship has had complicated beginnings indeed. I do believe we can do better, though. I believe we can communicate effectively, and that we can resolve most of the day-to-day issues associated with your tenancy quickly and without involving our respective lawyers."
Rodgers attached a proposal for DiBella that would keep at least 30% of the path to the main entrance open during the WinterWorld window of time.
A Squirrels spokesperson said he had not yet seen the letter.
Mayor Danny Avula, asked about the conflict last week by The Richmonder, didn't directly weigh in on the issue of WinterWorld access, but noted that the Diamond District area around the ballpark “will be under construction for multiple years” as it is built out in its entirety.
On Tuesday, Axios Richmond shared renderings of a park that will be built directly behind the stadium.
DiBella and Thalhimer officials have also squabbled over a piece of land directly outside CarMax Park, which Thalhimer plans to develop into a restaurant space. DiBella has said those plans would eat into the Squirrels' concession sales, since the land sits just steps from the ballpark's entrance.
This has been a breaking news update. Contact Michael Phillips at mphillips@richmonder.org.
