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

DATE: THURSDAY, March 30, 1995                   TAG: 9503300094
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: A-2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

ODDS ARE PRETTY GOOD IN HOTEL GALA'S `LOTTERY'

You've still got time - and a good chance - to snare a ticket to Renew Roanoke's Grand Opening Gala on April 29 at the revamped Hotel Roanoke and conference center.

One hundred tickets are up for grabs to the public, and the city is spearheading a kind of lottery to see who gets them.

Each of 50 "winners" will get the right to purchase two tickets at $100 apiece.

So far, the city has received only 108 postcard entries, which means the chance of being randomly selected is close to 50-50.

"The odds are still pretty good that if you get in a card by Friday, you may get tickets," said Michelle Bono, city spokeswoman.

Entrants should include their name, address and daytime phone number, and address the card to: Renew Roanoke Gala, 215 Church Ave. S.W., Roanoke, VA 24011.

- Staff report