WILLIAMSBURG — It appears Uptown Alley will no longer open a location in Williamsburg.
The Richmond-based entertainment venue previously announced plans to open a multi-story facility with bowling, arcades, restaurants and other amenities at the site of the former Yankee Candle Village on Richmond Road. .
Uptown Alley purchased the 64,000-square-foot building in spring 2023, with a promise to open this year. But on Monday, property owner and Uptown Alley co-founder Stephen Moore said attracting Uptown Alley to the site is now “off the table at this point.”
Moore cited construction costs associated with renovating the building as the reason. In a previous proposal, the company said it would make significant changes to the exterior facade, among other changes. A mini golf course is planned on the second floor.
“It’s very expensive to renovate a building,” he says.
Moore said Uptown Alley had hoped to instead work with a brewery and a ciderry to open together at the location, but those plans were recently rejected by the state Alcoholic Beverage Control Board. said. The building was rented out about a month ago.
“We’re trying to figure out who might be interested,” he said. “That doesn’t mean we’re considering selling or giving up on selling. We want to keep the building. It’s a beautiful building. We’ll decide on our next steps. That’s what I’m doing.”
One possibility Moore is considering is a Slick City Action Park. This is a chain park of indoor slides and air courts that will occupy 40,000 square feet of space, with the remainder left for use by the cidery.
“We’re still evaluating entertainment options,” Moore said. “We’ll figure something out. We’re looking at possibilities and hope to announce something soon.”
Some Williamsburg officials said they were disappointed by news that construction plans were stalled. The City Council had approved up to $600,000 in revenue-sharing incentives for recreational facilities, with support from the city’s Economic Development Department.
“This decision is disappointing because I think we were all looking forward to it opening and being successful,” Mayor Doug Pons said. “We understand that the business model has to work, and we’re disappointed that it doesn’t. We wish them well with other venues.”
