Business
Mayor Stoney Releases Statement on Casino Referendum Rolling Snake Eyes
Despite spending in the neighborhood of $2 million Urban One failed to convince voters that the casino was worth the gamble.
Urban One came in strong with promises of jobs, tax revenue, concerts, and green space as part of their $565 million southside casino and resort. The issue was but before Richmond residents yesterday. The vote was too close to call last night but the writing was on the wall this morning and the measure was defeated by 51.4 percent of Richmond voters voting against it.
Mayor Stoney released the following statement earlier this morning.
From the beginning, we said the people would decide. They have spoken, and we must respect their decision.
While I believe this was a $565 million opportunity lost to create well-paying jobs, expand opportunity, keep taxes low and increase revenue to meet the needs of our growing city, I am proud of the transparent and public process we went through to listen to our residents and put this opportunity before our voters.
I’m deeply appreciative to the members of our economic development team who negotiated this project and to Richmond City Council, which overwhelmingly supported it. Finally, I’d like to thank Cathy Hughes, Alfred Liggins and the entire Urban One Team for being willing to commit to, and invest in, our city. They believe in Richmond, as do we. Rest assured, this administration will not be deterred from its ongoing mission to bring other economic development opportunities to our city that will benefit the lives of all who live here.
RTD has a nice summary of the battle and money spent.
The Richmond casino project owners spent approximately $2 million campaigning for the proposal, spending the bulk of their money on media advertisements, campaign mail and volunteers trumpeting its projected benefits, such as $50 million in annual tax revenue for the city and other amenities, including 15 restaurants, an on-site television and radio studio, and a 3,000-seat theater.
Opponents of the project mounted a modest campaign raising about one-tenth of what the casino campaign spent, arguing that a casino in Richmond would worsen poverty and lead to a rise in gambling addiction.
Richmond’s vote is a stark contrast to ballot measures taken last year in four other cities in Virginia, where voters approved referendums with majorities of 65% or greater.
Business
New full-service commercial kitchen, fast casual food hall opens Wednesday
The new facility consists of 16 kitchen suites, each operating unique dining concepts. For the initial launch, ChefSuite has announced three restaurant concepts available for pick-up or delivery through their website, order.chefsuite.com, or through DoorDash, UberEats, GrubHub, and other delivery apps.
ChefSuite, a full-service commercial cooking facility and fast-casual food hall, will open its flagship location in midtown at 4711 W. Broad Street this Wednesday. The brainchild of co-founders Jay Modi and Jarnail Tucker, and Chairman Andrew Kadish, ChefSuite provides ghost kitchens for both new restaurateurs and seasoned chefs, allowing them to open or expand their restaurant business at a fraction of the cost of a traditional brick-and-mortar restaurant.
“ChefSuite’s mission is to provide a seamless experience for restaurateurs to focus on their dream,” Kadish said in a news release. “ChefSuite features a fool-proof system that supports our chef tenants with every opportunity to succeed.”
The new facility consists of 16 kitchen suites, each operating unique dining concepts. For the initial launch, ChefSuite has announced three restaurant concepts available for pick-up or delivery through their website, order.chefsuite.com, or through DoorDash, UberEats, GrubHub, and other delivery apps.
Restaurants at launch include On A Roll Italian Subs; Latin Quarter Kitchen, specializing in smashed plantain sandwiches; and A Pinch of Sugar, offering comfort food. Additional restaurant concepts will be added to ChefSuite’s offerings in the coming months, owners say.
For chef tenants, each suite is equipped with a CaptiveAire exhaust hood, commercial use sinks, gas/fire safety systems, grease traps, hot/cold water lines, industrial water heater, shelving, tablet, and order printer. ChefSuite also provides cold storage, a cooking oil removal system, third party app onboarding, consulting services, financial reporting, and substantial vendor discounts. ChefSuite offers tenants flexible lease terms with options to include cooking equipment.
Business
Richmond Flying Squirrels hosting series of job fairs ahead of 2023 season
Positions are available in food & beverage, ticketing and operations for the team’s home games from April through September.
The Richmond Flying Squirrels are looking to hire part-time, game-day positions for the upcoming baseball season. The team has three upcoming job fairs for interested candidates to fill out applications and find out information about available positions.
Positions are available in food & beverage, ticketing and operations for the team’s home games from April through September. Information on the Flying Squirrels’ upcoming job fairs can be found here. The 2023 game schedule can be found here.
The job fairs will take place at The Diamond (3001 N Arthur Ashe Boulevard, Richmond, VA 23230) on the following dates:
- Wednesday, March 8, 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
- Saturday, March 25, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Thursday, March 30, 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Available positions include:
FOOD & BEVERAGE
TICKETING
OPERATIONS
Questions regarding game-day positions with the Flying Squirrels can be directed to [email protected].
The Flying Squirrels open the 2023 on Friday, April 7 against the Reading Fightin Phils. Individual-game tickets, including tickets for Opening Night, are available now online at SquirrelsBaseball.com/Tickets, by phone at 804-359-FUNN (3866) or in person at the Flying Squirrels ticket office.
Business
Feed More relocating food bank and other operations to new $40 million facility north of city
The local nonprofit confirmed to BizSense that it’s behind Project Nourish, the development plan recently filed with Henrico County for a wooded site at 8020 Villa Park Drive.
From Richmond BizSense:
A code-named industrial project in the works near St. Joseph’s Villa has turned out to be the planned new home for regional food bank Feed More, setting the stage for a move that would free up some prime real estate near Richmond’s Diamond District.
The local nonprofit confirmed to BizSense that it’s behind Project Nourish, the development plan recently filed with Henrico County for a wooded site at 8020 Villa Park Drive.
The project name is a reference to Feed More’s slogan of “nourishing communities and empowering lives.”
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VCU Men’s Basketball Coach Mike Rhoades headed to Penn State, Utah State’s Ryan Odom favorite for replacement: reports
Husband-and-wife duo bringing new restaurant concept to former Mill on MacArthur space
New full-service commercial kitchen, fast casual food hall opens Wednesday
Richmond Falcon Cam is Back
Institute for Contemporary Art at VCU’s bevy of spring exhibitions run the gamut
