‘Reimagined and reinvented’: Development expands near Henrico’s Sports and Events Center

HENRICO COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — After a record-breaking March in terms of revenue, Henrico County is continuing to “load the bases” — transforming an older part of the community into a sports tourism hotspot.

At a groundbreaking event for new features to be built in the budding neighborhood on Thursday, April 25, Fairfield District Supervisor Roscoe Cooper III gave a snapshot of the site’s past life as the Virginia Center Commons shopping area.

“Virginia Center Commons, like so many malls across the country, really struggled in its later years,” Cooper III said. “As a county, we recognized that this area needed to be reimagined and reinvented.”

That vision came to life with the county’s new Sports and Events Center , which brought in more than 112,000 visitors within its first four months. However, that was just the beginning as last Thursday, officials broke ground on the next chapter in this developmental journey.

Leaders said that in 2008, the area was the strongest hospitality and retail submarket in the entire region. Anthony Romanello with Henrico County’s Economic Development Authority is hopeful to reclaim that title in this new wave of growth.

“Tourism allows Henrico to thrive above its peers,” Romanello said. “We love tourism. We love sports tourism. Folks come here. They stay in our hotels; they eat in our restaurants.”

Development plans include the construction of nearby townhomes and apartments. When it comes to vitalizing the tourism industry specifically, two new restaurants and two new hotels – a Home 2 Suites and Residence Inn – will sprout up along the cusp of where Henrico meets Hanover.

“…the perfect complement to a very busy Sports and Events Center,” Cooper III said about the planned developments set to take place at the former Virginia Center Commons mall.

According to the Henrico’s Sports and Entertainment Authority, since its opening, the Sports and Events Center has raked in nearly $15 million.

March was Henrico County’s highest-earning revenue month, and county representatives hope it only goes up from there.

Last year, visitor spending hit $1.7 billion – which was the highest visitor spending in Central Virginia, and fifth in the entire state. This has churned out $75 million in local revenue. The growth has also supported 10,000 jobs in the community.

“We can’t wait to see the impact of indoor sports here in Henrico,” Romanello said. “Add all this together and our economy is a whopping $32 billion here in Henrico and continues to grow.”

Cooper III said the site will soon be unrecognizable as the shopping center it once was with the new developments to be constructed in the area soon.

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