THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, September 14, 1995 TAG: 9509140469
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY HARRY MINIUM, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 60 lines
Hampton Roads, the nation's largest metropolitan area without a major sports franchise, apparently wasn't represented Tuesday in Chicago at a national seminar on financing major league sports facilities. But the area will be part of a similar meeting today in Atlanta.
Norfolk Mayor Paul Fraim left Wednesday night for Atlanta, where he was to attend a two-day conference on sports and economic development being hosted by the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta.
It will feature speakers such as Frank Nero, who helped lure an NFL franchise to Jacksonville; Rick Horrow, an expansion consultant for the NFL; and Maynard H. Jackson, who was mayor of Atlanta when that city landed the 1996 Olympics. Economists familiar with the financing of sports teams and facilities also will speak.
As was the case in Chicago, hundreds of mayors, team owners, arena directors and sports league representatives are expected to attend.
``I knew about the conference in Chicago, but felt the conference in Atlanta was a better one to attend,'' Fraim said.
``I'm trying to educate myself, to get some background, but also to meet some folks and to network.''
Fraim's educational and lobbying efforts won't end this week. In October he plans to go to Milwaukee for another seminar, in which NHL commissioner Gary Bettman heads a list of 18 speakers who will discuss subjects such as financing sports facilities and the economics of professional sports.
``The Milwaukee conference might be the best of all three,'' Fraim said.
Norfolk officials are taking other steps to educate themselves. They've retained a consultant, whom Fraim declined to name, to provide data about bringing a franchise to Hampton Roads.
``We have a consultant on retainer ... to give us some background on what it would take to entice a major league franchise to this region and what it would cost to build a facility,'' Fraim said. ``We have something of a preliminary report.
``The question is, where do we go from here?''
The Sports Authority of Hampton Roads has asked the same question of HOK Sports, a nationally recognized consultant. HOK's report detailing what it will cost to build a 20,000-seat arena and how it should be financed is expected to be released soon, said sports authority director Art Collins.
Collins said he was unaware of the Chicago or Atlanta meetings, but said he was ``very glad'' that Fraim will be in Atlanta.
Fraim said the area's cities, and not the sports authority, ultimately will have to lead if the area is to build a major sports facility.
``One of the cities is going to have to be willing to lead the effort,'' he said. ``In Norfolk, we're specifically talking about an arena. A large stadium probably would have to be built in another city ... We would be willing to help with that kind of an effort in another city.
``It's clear to me that it will have to be a cooperative effort to build any major sports facility in Hampton Roads.'' by CNB