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Chesterfield to get a $2.3M indoor baseball facility

Posted at 8:37 AM, Jul 31, 2017
and last updated 2017-07-31 08:37:52-04

A local baseball academy, born out of a longstanding sports facility in Chesterfield County, will soon have a new home field.

RISE Baseball is preparing to build a $2.3 million, 30,000-square-foot indoor center on a portion of 7 acres at 3120 E. Boundary Court and 3401 Old Hundred Road.

A group led by RISE Baseball owner Chris Martin purchased the land last month for $390,000.

RISE Baseball has been operating in 6,000 square feet in the former Richmond Indoor Sports Experience facility at 2300 Oak Lake Blvd., which was sold and rebranded to XL Sports World in 2013.

“(After the sale) I spoke with XL and wanted to keep the RISE name going on the baseball side of things,” Martin said. “So we kept using the name which was great, with the same kind of philosophy. It’s been going great, it’s just time for us to expand.”

Founded in 2004, RISE Baseball is a developmental and training organization for players age 8 through high school. Its teams travel to play competitively, and the facility also hosts camps and recruiting showcases. RISE’s primary goal is to develop players’ talents and help them play at the next level.

Martin joined RISE Baseball in 2011 and purchased the business in 2013 from Phil Wilson, who also owned the whole RISE business before its sale to XL. Wilson’s son, Tyler, is a pitcher for the Norfolk Tides, the Baltimore Orioles’ Triple-A team, and spent time in the majors earlier this season.

“We had one or two teams when I was working for Phil. It’s been very successful. Now we have 16 teams and 200-plus kids,” Martin said.

The new facility will have a full-size infield, 14 batting cages, clay pitching mounds, a gym and full menu cafe. Martin said plans aren’t finalized, adding that two basketball courts may be in store for facility as well, which would up the size to 45,000 square feet and cost to around $3 million.

Continue reading on RichmondBizSense.com.

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