Richmond businessman and philanthropist Robert S. “Bobby” Ukrop has been involved in the effort to push the Boulevard option forward. Ukrop played a role in brokering the public-private partnership that built The Diamond, the current home of the Richmond Flying Squirrels.

“Those involved in the project really feel like it presents the best opportunity to repeat something similar to what was done 30 years ago that really was great for the region,” Ukrop said.

The private sector put up half of the $8 million construction costs for The Diamond, while the city and the counties of Chesterfield and Henrico funded the other half.

“In this case, all the money is coming from the private sector,” Ukrop said. “To me, that’s a really good thing.”

Though all the details have not been worked out, a privately built stadium on the Boulevard offers what could be a lower-cost option in an area that many believe is a better fit for a ballpark. It also would avoid the strident opposition to the Shockoe stadium due to the area’s history as a major slave-trading market. The ongoing negotiations on the Shockoe project have seemed to focus on hurdles regarding land acquisition, while the city already owns the land on the Boulevard.