The Henrico Sports & Events Center has wrapped up its first year of operations, marking a successful beginning for the venue at the heart of the Virginia Center Commons redevelopment in Glen Allen.
Operated by the Henrico Sports & Entertainment Authority and managed by ASM Global, the center has welcomed over 375,000 visitors and hosted a variety of events since opening in November 2023.
“Getting the building open and making it through year one is an absolute highlight,” said Dennis Bickmeier, executive director of the Henrico Sports & Entertainment Authority.
The venue has helped boost sports tourism in Henrico, which saw nearly $72.5 million in local economic activity from 71 nonlocal tournaments in 2023. Here’s a look at highlights from the center’s first year.
Atlantic 10 Women’s Basketball Championship
Serving as the Sports & Events Center’s first marquee event, the Atlantic 10 Women’s Basketball Championship drew over 16,000 attendees over five days in March 2024. Fourteen teams from the NCAA Division I’s A-10 Conference competed, with the University of Richmond Spiders emerging as champions.
Securing the event in the center’s first year required a calculated leap of faith, Bickmeier recalled.
“What’s interesting about that is the building was still under construction, and we went to one of their league meetings with some pretty pictures and a story to tell,” he said. “They bought into it, and they trusted us, and I feel like we had a tremendous first year event.”
The championship will return to the center for another two years, in March 2025 and March 2026.
NWBA Adult & Junior Wheelchair Basketball National Championships
The National Wheelchair Basketball Association’s National Championship was held over two weekends in April, as more than 1,100 players competed for national titles.
The NWBA Varsity and Prep Wheelchair Basketball National Championships, held April 5-7, featured the top 32 varsity and 16 prep teams. The following week, the NWBA hosted national tournaments for the top 16 teams in each of its three adult divisions.
The event featured Paralympic athletes, some of whom went on to compete in the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games.
“I tell people all the time: If you weren’t inspired by that event to see those athletes perform, I don’t know what inspires you then,” Bickmeier said.
Virginia Sports Hall of Fame induction weekend
In April, the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame held its 51st induction ceremony at the Sports & Events Center, marking the first time the event was hosted in the Richmond region since the Hall of Fame’s inception in 1972.
The annual event honors athletes, coaches and contributors from across Virginia, and the center now features a permanent display of Virginia sports memorabilia and tributes Virginia Sports Hall of Famers.
“If you come in here on a Saturday during a sports tourism event, or if you come in here on a Wednesday when we’ve got local kids playing here, you’ll see parents and kids looking up at that board,” Bickmeier said. He added, “I want the young people who come to this building to know who came before them.”
High school graduations, State of the County
Aside from sporting events, the Sports & Events Center has demonstrated its versatility by hosting graduations for all nine Henrico County high schools in May, the Henrico State of the County address and other events.
Speaking in November to about 500 business and community leaders, County Manager John A. Vithoulkas and other officials used the State of the County address to highlight achievements, projects and initiatives spanning service areas, including education, public safety, infrastructure, recreation, economic development, finance and more.
For high school graduates, the center helped elevate a significant milestone in their journeys. The celebrations were particularly special for Bickmeier, whose daughter graduated from Deep Run High School in May.
What’s next for the Sports & Events Center?
To mark its first anniversary, the Sports & Events Center will host several events from Dec. 6-8:
- Cheer & Gear Sports Equipment Donation Drive in partnership with ESPN Richmond, benefiting the Central Richmond Salvation Army (Dec. 6, from noon to 1 p.m. and 3 to 6 p.m., and Dec. 8, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.)
- Inaugural Battle of the Badges basketball game between Henrico’s Police and Fire divisions (Dec. 6 at 7 p.m.; free admission)
- Cheer & Gear Classic featuring the women’s teams from the University of Richmond Spiders vs. Columbia University Lions (Dec. 8 at 2 p.m.; tickets available here)
- American Cornhole League 2024 Open Series (Dec. 6-8 with doors opening at 8 a.m.; tickets available here)
For a full schedule of events, visit the center’s website.
Looking ahead, construction continues on two restaurants and two hotels that will complement the center, marking the next phase of the Virginia Center Commons redevelopment. For the Sports & Entertainment Authority, the focus remains on enhancing existing events and attracting new, high-profile opportunities, Bickmeier said.
