
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, July 26, 1994                   TAG: 9407270033
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: By JAN VERTEFEUILLE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

SALEM BUCS' NEW HOME GETS OFFICIAL GO-AHEAD

Salem City Council made it official Monday night, unanimously approving a new stadium for the minor-league Buccaneers.

Planning for the stadium has been under way for two months, and residents overwhelmingly endorsed a $5 million ballpark last week in an advisory referendum. City Council still had to vote to authorize construction.

Councilors also voted to declare their intent to issue up to $10 million in bonds to pay for the stadium, school improvements, firefighting equipment and improvements to the city's computer system.

While the exact amount of the bond issue has yet to be determined, with bonds not being sold until the fall, the city will incur expenses before then. Under Internal Revenue Service regulations, Council had to show its intent by a vote in order to recoup those expenditures from the bond money.

The stadium will be built on land adjoining the Salem Civic Center and football stadium. The architects have begun outlining the baseball diamond in order to lay the sod and have the ballpark ready in time for an April 1995 season opener.

Keywords:
BASEBALL

by CNB