Virginia Center Commons eyed for new Henrico indoor sports arena

From the Henrico Citizen:

Henrico officials appear to have found a site and developer for the indoor sports arena and convocation center they’ve sought for several years.

The Rebkee Company is proposing to redevelop Virginia Center Commons mall in Glen Allen as part of a plan to build the 4,500-seat, 220,000-square-foot arena for Henrico on about 25 acres of the mall’s 94-acre footprint. The Henrico Board of Supervisors Tuesday voted unanimously to authorize negotiations with the developer.

Henrico intends to budget $50 million to purchase the 25-acre site and pay for the arena’s construction, but Rebkee would build the facility and contract with a management company that would manage it and keep revenue from its operations. The Henrico Economic Development Authority would sell bonds to finance the county’s obligation.

The arena would become the new anchor of the mall site. Rebkee plans to work with Shamin Hotels to build a hotel at the site and create other entertainment and retail options there as well.

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