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

DATE: SATURDAY, October 1, 1994                   TAG: 9410030055
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: JAN VERTEFEUILLE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

GOT ANY BRAINWAVES ON CATCHING THE MOUSE?

As in meetings taking place across the Eastern Seaboard - except, of course, in Haymarket - Roanoke Valley officials began brainstorming Friday on ways to lure Disney to the area.

A meeting of economic development people - from chambers of commerce and similar groups - convened at the Holiday Inn-Tanglewood.

Thursday, the day after the entertainment giant cancelled plans for its Disney's America theme park in Northern Virginia, "everybody was on the phone all day long," said Beth Doughty of the Roanoke Valley Economic Development Partnership.

One thought was on everyone's minds: Here's our opportunity to snag the mouse.

"The problem is ... it's kind of hard to hit a moving target," said Doughty, whose group will make contact with Disney to promote the area as a good one for the history-themed amusement park.

She said everyone at the meeting agreed that "we want to get Disney's attention," not just for the Roanoke area but for Southwest Virginia in general.

In attendance at Friday's hourlong brainstorming were representatives of Botetourt, Craig, Roanoke and Franklin counties, Roanoke, the Explore Park, the Convention and Visitors Bureau and several chambers of commerce. Salem and Vinton couldn't make it.

They spent the meeting "sharing what we heard, where do we think it's going, what do we want to do," Doughty said.

by CNB