The Challenge of Opening a New Stadium
Opening a new ballpark takes more than construction and a ribbon cutting. It requires a seamless transition to operations. Behind the scenes, operations teams must be prepared to manage dozens of building systems, from HVAC and electrical equipment to life safety and facility infrastructure, before the first pitch is ever thrown.
For the Richmond Flying Squirrels, Double-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants, that preparation was critical as the team gets ready to open CarMax Park, a new 10,000-seat ballpark and entertainment venue in Richmond, Virginia. The stadium debuted with the Taking Flight Music Festival on March 26, followed by Opening Night on April 7.
To ensure the operations team was ready from day one, the Flying Squirrels partnered with Gilbane’s Facilities Management Services (FMS) team to implement Enhanced Transition to Operations (eTOP). The process is designed to connect construction delivery with long-term facility management.
Bridging Construction and Operations
When a new facility is completed, hundreds of maintainable assets must be organized, documented, and integrated into the owner’s facility management platform. Without this step, operations teams can spend months tracking down equipment information and building maintenance programs after opening.
That’s where Enhanced Transition to Operations (eTOP) comes in.
How Enhanced Transition to Operations (eTOP) Works
eTOP captures detailed information for all maintainable equipment installed during construction. Each asset is barcoded and recorded in a customized template aligned with the owner’s facility management software. This allows building systems to be imported directly into the maintenance platform with preventive maintenance programs already established.
For a large entertainment venue like CarMax Park, where reliability and uptime are essential, having operational data ready on day one makes a meaningful difference.
Capturing Nearly 900 Stadium Assets
With a tight timeline leading up to opening, the FMS team worked closely with the construction team to document and organize the stadium’s equipment.
Despite winter weather travel disruptions and a fast-approaching deadline, the team successfully:
- Barcoded and cataloged approximately 898 maintainable assets
- Documented systems throughout the 120,000 SF ballpark and entertainment complex
- Structured asset data for direct import into the owner’s facilities management system
This approach ensures the operations team has immediate access to equipment details, maintenance schedules, and preventive maintenance plans as soon as the facility opens.
Ready for Game Day
Through close collaboration between Gilbane’s FMS specialists and the construction team, the Richmond Flying Squirrels will begin operations at CarMax Park with their facility management system fully prepared.
Rather than building maintenance programs from scratch after opening, the operations team can focus on what matters most: delivering a great fan experience and keeping the ballpark running smoothly.
As the Flying Squirrels prepare to welcome fans to their new home, the behind-the-scenes groundwork ensures the facility is ready not just for opening day, but for many successful seasons ahead.
Play ball!
