Richmond Mayor Dwight Jones watches Gov. Bob McDonnell give an update on the world cycling championship fundraising progress. (Photo by Lena Price)
Some of the biggest names in Richmond have opened their checkbooks to help finance a major cycling event that’s coming to the city.
More than a dozen corporations and prominent Richmonders donated $11 million to the 2015 UCI Road World Championships, which will be in Richmond. The event’s organizers had set a fundraising goal of $21 million.
Altria, Dominion and Genworth, as well as local businessmen Bill Goodwin and Jim Ukrop, are among the donors whose gift was unveiled at a news conference Thursday.
Organizers have said that the weeklong UCI event, an annual competition to determine the world’s top cyclists, could draw more than 1,000 athletes from 70 countries. It hasn’t been held in the United States since 1986.
“This is an unprecedented opportunity for us to showcase our region globally,” Richmond Mayor Dwight Jones said during the press conference at the Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens.
About $7 million from the group donation will cover the event’s licensing fee, said committee spokesman Lee Kallman. The rest of the $21 million will pay for the event’s support staff, office space and citywide infrastructure enhancements, such as fencing and road repairs.
Wilson Flohr, head of the event’s organizing committee, said the next phase of the finance campaign will involve recruiting national and international sponsors.
The donors announced Thursday were:
Altria
CarMax
Dominion
Genworth
Hourigan Construction
Kings Dominion
MeadWestvaco
McGuireWoods
Norfolk Southern
Piascik
The Community Foundation
VCU Medical Center
Williams Mullen
Bill and Alice Goodwin
Jim and Bobbi Ukrop
Also on hand at the event were Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell and Dominion Resources chief executive Tom Farrell.
Richmond Mayor Dwight Jones watches Gov. Bob McDonnell give an update on the world cycling championship fundraising progress. (Photo by Lena Price)
Some of the biggest names in Richmond have opened their checkbooks to help finance a major cycling event that’s coming to the city.
More than a dozen corporations and prominent Richmonders donated $11 million to the 2015 UCI Road World Championships, which will be in Richmond. The event’s organizers had set a fundraising goal of $21 million.
Altria, Dominion and Genworth, as well as local businessmen Bill Goodwin and Jim Ukrop, are among the donors whose gift was unveiled at a news conference Thursday.
Organizers have said that the weeklong UCI event, an annual competition to determine the world’s top cyclists, could draw more than 1,000 athletes from 70 countries. It hasn’t been held in the United States since 1986.
“This is an unprecedented opportunity for us to showcase our region globally,” Richmond Mayor Dwight Jones said during the press conference at the Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens.
About $7 million from the group donation will cover the event’s licensing fee, said committee spokesman Lee Kallman. The rest of the $21 million will pay for the event’s support staff, office space and citywide infrastructure enhancements, such as fencing and road repairs.
Wilson Flohr, head of the event’s organizing committee, said the next phase of the finance campaign will involve recruiting national and international sponsors.
The donors announced Thursday were:
Altria
CarMax
Dominion
Genworth
Hourigan Construction
Kings Dominion
MeadWestvaco
McGuireWoods
Norfolk Southern
Piascik
The Community Foundation
VCU Medical Center
Williams Mullen
Bill and Alice Goodwin
Jim and Bobbi Ukrop
Also on hand at the event were Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell and Dominion Resources chief executive Tom Farrell.
It’s nice to see the support for this AWESOME event that is coming to RVA!!
Support. that is a laugh this corporate tax write offs and donations by the wealthy yet it is so great Henrico and Chesterfield have not put in one dime, not even staff support for the race (police, public works). I guess they will ride around Hanover (a supporter) and then get in buses to come back into the City. By the way HOW is the a regional event when we have no regional support except from Richmond City and $300,000 from Hanover?
…and what is so wrong with a corp giving away money that would otherwise add to earnings? You make it sound like the tax treatment makes it free….you lack some knowledge in this area but that is not suprising coming from the type of people who make these this type of comment. And what is so wrong with being wealthy? Thank you mr. President for creating this type of angst and envy in this country. Thank you to the decision makers at the corporations who chose to help fund this project. Thank you to the wealthy individuals who chose to… Read more »