The firms of Barrett Sports Group, LLC., Populous and Weston Sports have been contracted to jointly conduct a Market Validation and Financial Feasibility study on the future of the Richmond Coliseum. The corporate and public partners of Altria Group Inc., Dominion Resources Inc., Genworth Financial Inc., MeadWestvaco, and the City of Richmond, unanimously chose the team after conducting a series of interviews with the four finalists. Chesterfield County, Hanover County and Henrico County have been supportive of these efforts. “This is the first step towards charting the city’s and region’s direction where our coliseum needs are concerned,” said Mayor Dwight C. Jones. “This type of regional and corporate partnership is a sign of our strong metropolitan region. Collaboration such as this will aid us as we prepare for future growth while providing a quality sports and entertainment venue for the residents of Central Virginia.” The Barrett team had extensive and direct experience in perfo...

Pursuant to Mayor's Order #2010-02, Mayor Dwight C. Jones created the Pedestrian, Bicycling, and Trails Planning Commission. The Pedestrian, Bicycling, and Trails Planning Commission has been established to provide the Mayor's Administration with advice on ways to incorporate bicycling and walking as viable methods of transportation in the city of Richmond. To inform its work, the Commission will review adopted citywide transportation plans, strategies and plans from other jurisdictions. It will make recommendations for policies that support pedestrian and bicycle travel in Richmond. These policies will ensure that our city becomes a community where walking and bicycling are integral parts of the transportation system. The development of a well-publicized and effective system of pedestrian and bicycle trails could be an effective selling point for economic development and tourism efforts. The Commission held its inaugural meeting on Wednesday, June 9, 2010. The Mayor also ant...

Pursuant to Mayor's Order #2010-01, Mayor Dwight C. Jones created the Blue Ribbon Commission on Health Policy. The Blue Ribbon Commission on Health Policy will work to identify social factors that give rise to the health care problems of Richmond's residents, and develop recommendations that can be implemented both in the short-term and long-term to ameliorate those disparities. Reports will be developed to identify the city's health priorities including the issue of its health disparities, identifying potential funding necessary to address the priorities, and recommending strategies that the City of Richmond might employ in addressing them. The Commission shall produce and present the intial plan by August 2010, to embody recommendations that might be adopted as priorities for the city to pursue in making a difference in the lives of our residents.