Richmond Times Dispatch
May 10 2009
Shockoe-stadium foe says plan is bad deal for taxpayers
By Jeremy Slayton
Published: May 10, 2009
Charlie Diradour isn’t afraid to take a stand, especially about issues
that concern his hometown.
His roots in Richmond date to the 1920s, when his grandfather
immigrated from Armenia. As Diradour puts its, he has a passion to be
a steward to the city for what it provided him and his family — the
chance to make a living.
"It’s very important to stand up against what I think is wrong, or
stand up for what I think is right," said Diradour, who hails from a
family of successful real estate investors.
Diradour, 45, is leading a charge against developing a baseball
complex in Shockoe Bottom. He formed a Web site and Facebook group in
support of keeping baseball on the Boulevard through either a major
renovation of The Diamond or construction of a new stadium.
He contends it would be less expensive than building in Shockoe and
the more-western location would be convenient for baseball fans who
live in the counties.
Until a decision on a home for baseball is final, Diradour promises to
continue his opposition to public bonds to build a $60 million
ballpark in the Bottom.
"My duty, as the person who started this, is to see it through to the
end," said Diradour, president of Lion’s Paw Development Co. "Good or
bad . . . win or lose, I’m going to see this through to the end."
Diradour owns primarily corner properties in the Fan District —
deLux, Kuba Kuba, Buddy’s Place restaurant — but is venturing west
along the Libbie and Grove corridor and north into Henrico County.
A self-described conservative developer, Diradour said he doesn’t have
real estate holdings on the Boulevard or in Shockoe Bottom. He
believes city residents, not a group of developers, should decide
where a stadium is built.
"I think that Charlie is a bottom-line, fiscal realist," former
Richmond City Council President William J. Pantele said. "I think his
voice is one of ‘what makes business sense and what are the
alternatives and which is the best deal — which is the wisest course
in terms of public money in investment.’"
Diradour worked closely with Pantele last fall when the former
councilman ran unsuccessfully for mayor.
From his office on North Robinson Street, Diradour argues that the
proposal to build a stadium in the Bottom is too financially risky for
city taxpayers.
"As a lifelong Democrat, a Virginia conservative Democrat . . . I
cannot stand by while three or four wealthy developers become
wealthier by pinning their desires to place a baseball stadium where
they want to on the fiscal backs of the populace of the city of
Richmond," he said.
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